“Previous studies suggested the ice was usually 3 to 6 feet (1 to 2 m) thick”
“The robot sub surveys, which were spot-checked by drilling and shipboard tests, suggest Antarctica’s average ice thickness is considerably higher than previous estimates.
‘On average, the thickness of the ice was 4.6 to 18 feet (1.4 to 5.5 m). In the three regions it surveyed, the robot sub found that deformed, thickened ice accounted for at least half of and as much as 76 percent of the total ice volume, the researchers report.”
http://www.thegwpf.com/antarctic-ice-thicker-than-thought-new-study-finds/
sunshine hours 
“The discovery adds to the ongoing mystery of Antarctica’s expanding sea ice. According to climate models…”
Ya, how could the models be wrong? Such a mystery.
No mystery. The climate models use CO2 as the fundamental “input variable”. The models essentially ignore the Solar effects {due to their view of nearly ” constant TSI”}. They continue to ignore Solar EUV and its effects on the Ozone layer [ heating of the upper atmosphere].