An updated compilation of oxygen-isotope ratio data for 562 sites in Antarctica shows a significant increase in the number of sites and an improvement in the representation of the coastal zone oyer previous versions. The data hase consists of ratio values (δ18O; multi-year mean 18O/16O relative to Standard Mean Ocean Water, in ‰) compiled as the dependent variable, together with data for the so-called independent variables: latitude, surface elevation, mean annual surface temperature and mean

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... nual shortest distance to open ocean denoted by the 20% sea-ice concentration boundary. The problem of covariation between so-called independent variables is minimized using stepwise regression analyses. A general model is described using all the field data, and the regional variation at drainage-system scale is assessed by contrasting models for two physiographically distinct regions. in addition, entity-specific models are determined using data subsets for the conterminous grounded-ice and ice-shelf areas. Inversions of the specific models are applied to a 100 km grid data base to produce two contoured distributions of the ratio, one based on field data, and the other on remotely sensed data. The difference between these produces residuals that, relative to the summation of standard errors of the models, are small in most of the interior area of the ice sheet, and large in several areas of mountain and coastal regions, where interpolation and extrapolation of field data are particularly unreliable. Remotely sensed data generally produce ratio values which are isotopically cooler.