Antarctica ice melt loss has increased six-fold

Antarctica has been losing ice mass at an accelerated rate, increasing global sea levels. Research by glaciologists from the University of California, NASA, and Utrecht University shows a sixfold increase in ice loss from 1979 to 2017. Data was collected using satellite imagery and NASA's Operation Ice Bridge. Another study highlights the effect of Earth's axial tilt on Antarctic ice sheets. Sea ice, crucial for protecting underwater ice, is at its lowest since 1979.

What is the significance of the thin frozen layer of ocean water surrounding Antarctica?

What has been observed about ice levels in Antarctica since 1979?