Science
Waves alter Antarctic polynyas by breaking up surrounding sea ice
Source: Phys.org · Published
Polynyas are one of Antarctica's great counterintuitive features: recurring areas of open water surrounded by vast expanses of sea ice. These unusual environments are hot spots for sea-ice production, ocean–atmosphere exchange and biological productivity. They are commonly maintained by powerful winds that push newly formed ice away from the coast, repeatedly exposing the ocean to the freezing…
Key points
- Polynyas are one of Antarctica's great counterintuitive features: recurring areas of open water surrounded by vast expanses of sea ice.
- These unusual environments are hot spots for sea-ice production, ocean–atmosphere exchange and biological productivity.
- They are commonly maintained by powerful winds that push newly formed ice away from the coast, repeatedly exposing the ocean to the freezing…
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