Source: United Press International
Date of Publication: October 08, 2004

NEW YORK, Oct 07, 2004 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- NASA researchers say the South Polar region is expected to do an about-face and warm up over the next 50 years.

Antarctica has mostly cooled over the past 30 years but researchers say that trend is likely to rapidly reverse.

Findings from a study, conducted by researchers Drew Shindell and Gavin Schmidt of NASA's Goddard Institute of Space Studies in New York, found depleted ozone levels and greenhouse gases are contributing to cooler South Pole temperatures.

"Antarctica has been cooling and one could argue some regions could escape warming, but this study finds this is not very likely," Shindell said. "Global warming is expected to dominate in future trends."

Low ozone levels in the stratosphere and increasing greenhouse gases promote a positive phase of a shifting atmospheric climate pattern in the Southern Hemisphere.

In the coming decades, ozone levels are expected to recover due to international treaties that banned ozone-depleting chemicals.

Copyright 2004 by United Press International.