The 50-year mystery of the formation of the Maud Rise polynya has been revealed.
Every southern winter, Antarctica goes through major changes. The sea ice around the continent is expanding and effectively doubling the size of Antarctica. But during the winters of 2016 and 2017, a strange split the size of Switzerland appeared in the middle of the sea ice. Scientists have only now found out what caused it. writes Space.com.
The hole was named the Maud Rise polynya after the submerged seamount in the Weddell Sea. According to a new study, Maud Rise was created by several factors: a combination of wind, ocean currents and underwater geography. All of this created the ideal saline conditions for melting sea ice in a particular area.
After studying the hole, scientists discovered that it has a rich history. It was first seen on satellite images back in 1974. After that, she disappeared and reappeared several times. She was seen for a short time.
“2017 was the first time we had such a large, long-lasting polynya in the Weddell Sea since the 1970s,” said study leader Aditya Narayanan, a researcher at the University of Southampton in England.
In 2016 and 2017, the circular ocean current in the Weddell Sea was stronger than usual. Therefore, rising around Maud Rise, that is, the rise of deep ocean waters to the surface, brought warmer and saltier water closer to the ice.
Using data from satellites, independent floats and tagged marine mammals, scientists determined that turbulent eddies around Maude Rise would bring more salt to the area, which would then be transported to the surface through a process known as transport. Ekman. Thanks to Ekman transport, water moves at 90 degrees to the wind above and affects the currents of the ocean.
“Mugwort prints can remain in the water for many years after they are formed,” said research team member Sarah Gille, a professor at the University of California, San Diego. “They can change how water moves and how currents “heat transfer to the continent. The thick waters that are formed here can spread throughout the world’s oceans.”
Before that, there was an online discussion about a mega hole in the Rostov region. A mysterious hole appeared in the ground nearby. The mystery of its origin attracted consumers.
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2024-05-03 06:15:32
