Weddell Polynya

The Weddell Polynya or Weddell Sea Polynya is a polynya or irregular area of open water surrounded by sea ice in the Weddell Sea of the Southern Ocean off Antarctica and near the Maud Rise.[1][2] The size of New Zealand, it re-occurred each winter between 1974 and 1976.[3] These were the first three austral winters observed by the Nimbus-5 Electrically Scanning Microwave Radiometer (ESMR).[4] Since 1976, the polynya has never been seen again. Since the 1970s, the polar Southern Ocean south of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current has freshened and stratified, likely a result of anthropogenic climate change. Such stratification may be responsible for suppressing the return of the Weddell Sea polynya.[5][6]

Other Antarctic polynyas

The presence of polynyas in McMurdo Sound provides an ice-free area where penguins can feed, so is important for the survival of the Cape Royds penguin colony.[7]

References

  1. David Holland (5 May 2003). "Background - Weddell Polynya". New York University. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  2. D M Holland (1 June 2001). "Explaining the Weddell Polynya--a large ocean eddy shed at Maud Rise". Science. 292: 1697–700. PMID 11387470. doi:10.1126/science.1059322.
  3. "The Weddell Polynya". University of Toronto/NASA. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  4. Claire L. Parkinson; Joey C. Comiso & H. Jay Zwally (2014). "Nimbus-5 ESMR Polar Gridded Sea Ice Concentrations". National Snow and Ice Data Center. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  5. Casimir de Lavergne, Jaime B. Palter, Eric D. Galbraith, Raffaele Bernardello & Irina Marinov (2 March 2014). "Cessation of deep convection in the open Southern Ocean under anthropogenic climate change". Nature Climate Change. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  6. Sarah Zielinski (3 March 2014). "Climate Change Felt in Deep Waters of Antarctica". Smithsonian.com. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  7. B. Stonehouse (3 December 1967). "Penguins in high latitudes". Tuatara: Volume 15, Issue 3. Victoria University of Wellington. Retrieved 16 December 2014.


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