Scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research and Ohio State University said their findings can help scientists improve computer models and determine if Earth's southernmost continent will warm significantly during this century.

"We can now compare computer simulations with observations of actual climate trends in Antarctica," said NCAR scientist Andrew Monaghan, the lead author of the study. "This is showing us that, over the past century, most of Antarctica has not undergone the fairly dramatic warming that has affected the rest of the globe. The challenges of studying climate in this remote environment make it difficult to say what the future holds for Antarctica's climate."

Monaghan said the study marks the first time that scientists have been able to compare records of the past 50 to 100 years of Antarctic climate with simulations run on computer models.

He said Antarctica's climate is of worldwide interest, in part because if its ice sheets began to melt, sea level could rise around the world, inundating many coastal areas.

The study appeared in the April 5 issue of the journal Geophysical Research Letters.