NASA Image of Antartica

The scientists said Monday they used satellite data to monitor the Antarctic coastline. They found the ice sheet on the Earth's southern pole lost 59 percent more ice in 2006 than it did in 1996.

The researchers say western antarctica lost 132 billion tons of ice in 2006, enough to raise worldwide sea levels by 0.5 millimeter.

The team's leader, Eric Rignot of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, said warmer temperatures appear to be accelerating the movement of coastal Antarctic glaciers into the sea.

The researchers say their findings may cause scientists to revise their predictions about rising sea levels around the world.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.