The earth's gravity field (vertically enhanced). (Credit: © Achim Helm, GFZ)Western Antarctic ice fluctuations are due mainly to El Niño induced precipitation, not global warming. ScienceDaily (Oct. 29, 2010) — The change in the ice mass covering Antarctica is a critical factor in global climate events. Scientists at the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences have now found that the year by year mass variations in the western Antarctic are mainly attributable to fluctuations in precipitation, which are controlled significantly by the climate phenomenon El Niño. They examined the GFZ data of the German-American satellite mission GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment). The investigation showed significant regional differences in the western coastal area of the South Pole area.