Giant hole reopens in Antarctic ice for the first time in 40 years – CBS News
Aerial view of the polynya in the Southern Ocean. Credit: Jan Lieser, ACE CRC, Australia
Article Synopsis – A giant hole almost the size of the state of Maine, known as a polynya, has opened up in the sea ice cover of Antarctica’s Weddell Sea. This is the first time a hole of this magnitude has been observed in the Weddell Sea in over 40 years. They are caused by the rising of warmer and saltier water from below. Polynyas can then cool the water, affecting ocean temperatures, and release heat back into the atmosphere. To read the actual article click here.