Polynya:
A gigantic hole in Antarctica’s sea ice has perplexed scientists for decades.
Now, with the help of robots, satellites, and seals with sensors strapped to their heads, a team of researchers has discovered that climate, salt levels, and an underwater mountain all contribute to the weird recurring phenomenon, according to a study published Monday in Nature.
The massive “polynya,” which is the term for an area of open water surrounded by sea ice, occasionally appears in the Weddell Sea in the Antarctic northwest, seemingly at random. The size and frequency of the offshore polynya are not closely correlated with temperatures, suggesting a more complex mechanism drives its formation process. [“Mysterious Hole in Antarctic Sea Ice Explained by Robots and Seals,” Becky Ferreira, Vice]
