BEIJING, Oct. 17 (Xinhuanet) -- The winds responsible for the summer warming that led to the collapse of a 1,255-square- mile Antarctic ice shelf in 2002 were the byproduct of human activity, according toBritish scientists.

"This is the first time that anyone has been able to demonstrate a physical process directly linking the break-up of the Larsen Ice Shelf to human activity," said lead author Gareth Marshall from the British Antarctic Survey. "Climate change does not impact our planet evenly - it changes weather patterns in a complex way that takes detailed research and computer modeling techniques to unravel."

A consequence of global warming is changing weather patters that have caused stronger westerly winds to blow warm air from the middle latitudes to the Antarctic Peninsula.

These winds are responsible for the summer warming that led to the collapse of thenorthern Larsen B Ice shelf, the researchers note in this week's Journal of Climate.

The average summer temperatures in the area have been about 36 degrees Fahrenheit during the past 40 years.On days when westerly winds force heated air over the ice-covered peninsula's mountain ranges, temperatures can reach 45 degrees Fahrenheit.

Such conditions melted the ice, caused water toseep into the crevasses of the ice shelf, and eventually broke it apart. Enditem

(Agencies)