Can polynyas be found in the Arctic Ocean?

There are two main types of polynyas: coastal polynyas, which can be found year-round near the Antarctic and Arctic coasts and are mainly created by strong winds pushing the ice away from the coast, and mid-sea or open-ocean polynyas, which may be found more sporadically in the middle of ice pack in certain locations.

What keeps polynyas open?

Polynyas are areas of persistent open water where we would expect to find sea ice. For the most part, they tend to be roughly oval or circular in shape, but they can be irregularly shaped, too. The water remains open because of processes that prevent sea ice from forming or that quickly move sea ice out of the region.

What is the meaning of polynya?

: an area of open water in sea ice.

What is a hole in the ice called?

A “polynya,” a Russian word that roughly means “hole in the ice,” can form near shore as wind pushes the ice around. But it can also appear far from the coast and stick around for weeks to months, where it acts as an oasis for penguins, whales and seals to pop up and breathe.

How many polynyas are there in the Arctic?

Canada’s Arctic is dotted with 23 polynyas that are critical habitats for marine mammals and birds. These geographically fixed regions of (mostly) open water surrounded by sea ice form in two ways.

Is the North Water Polynya surrounded by sea ice?

In short, a polynya is an open water area surrounded by sea ice in polar regions. A study from 2017 on the North Water polynya by researchers Barber, Marsden, Minnet, Ingram & Fortier describes a polynya in more details:

How are coastal polynyas produced in the Antarctic?

Coastal polynyas are produced in the Antarctic by katabatic winds. Katabatic wind spilling off an ice shelf. A polynya /pəˈlɪnjə/ is an area of open water surrounded by sea ice. It is now used as geographical term for an area of unfrozen sea within the ice pack.

How are polynyas different from other types of ice?

Polynyas are areas of persistent open water where we would expect to find sea ice. For the most part, they tend to be roughly oval or circular in shape, but they can be irregularly shaped, too. The water remains open because of processes that prevent sea ice from forming or that quickly move sea ice out of the region.