For fifty years, an interesting phenomenon has occurred in the Antarctic: a hole opens in the ice. Known as polynyas, these openings are common near polar oceans, where wind moves the ice, exposing the ocean below.
However, the Maud Rise polynya, far from the coast, has always been an enigma. With an extension of about 80 thousand square kilometers, its creation was a mystery until recently.
According to information from the portal IGN Brazil, a study published in the journal Science finally solved the mystery. Intense currents around the Weddell Sea, where the polynya is located, brought warmer salty water from the bottom to the surface, melting the ice.
The melting ice, which was made up mostly of fresh water, was supposed to reduce the salinity and stop the process. However, the phenomenon known as Ekman Transport, in which water moves at an angle of 90º to the direction of the surface wind, changed the salinity of the water and allowed the hole to form.
Sarah Gille, co-author of the study, explained in a press release that “pollinia print can remain in the water for several years after its formation. They can change the way water moves and how currents carry heat to the continent. The dense waters here can spread throughout the ocean. “
2024-05-11 15:34:33
#Science #discovers #truth #hole #opened #Antarctic #ice #years
