Researchers may now understand the mysterious origins of giant holes that can open up in Antarctic sea ice, a new study finds.
-- By analyzing data from seaborne robots and sensors glued onto seals, researchers may now understand the mysterious origins of giant holes that can open up in Antarctic sea ice, a new study finds.
The rarity of big polynyas in Antarctic waters meant that little was known about how these holes could form amid the bitter cold. But in 2016, a big polynya emerged for the first time in decades, one 33,000 square kilometers that remained open for three weeks. An even larger 50,000-square-kilometer polynya appeared in September and October of 2017.
Intense storms that swirled over the Weddell Sea with almost hurricane-force winds those years churned relatively warm water from the deep ocean upward, melting ice and opening up polynyas in the sea ice. When this water cooled off, it became denser and more likely to sink. Warmer water welled up from below to replace it, creating a circulation of warmth that kept the polynyas open.
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