The mystery that has occupied scientists for many years has finally been solved. A giant hole appeared from time to time in the thick ice sheet in Antarctica’s Weddell Sea, revealing dark waters. This extraordinary event, which was first noticed in 1974, surprised researchers and gave rise to many theories because it did not recur every year. However, when the hole reappeared in 2016 and 2017, scientists took action to unveil this mystery.
Thanks to combining data collected with satellite images, floating autonomous instruments, seals and computer models, the answer to this great riddle has finally been found. The mechanism behind the process was the interaction of wind and water known as the “Ekman spiral”.
A study published in the journal Science Advances explains the basic process behind the formation of what is known as the Maud Rise polynya and its ability to persist for weeks. The study is titled “Ekman Conductive Salt Transport as a Key Mechanism Driving Open Ocean Polynya Formation in the Maud Rise.”
The Reason for the Giant Hole in Antarctic Ice
Alberto Naveira Garabato, an oceanographer from the University of Southampton, emphasized the importance of the process by saying, “The Ekman spiral is the missing essential component that allows salty and hot water to mix with the surface.”
Holes or “polynyas”, which are generally seen in coastal areas and used for breathing by marine mammals, are much rarer compared to those formed offshore. For this reason, the constantly re-forming Maud High polynia has baffled the scientific world for half a century.
Discovered in 1974, this huge hole the size of New Zealand appeared again in 1975 and 1976. However, after a long absence, it re-emerged in 2016 and 2017 at a size the size of the state of Maine (2.5 times the size of Konya).
The Importance of Salt in the Formation of the Giant Ice Hole Revealed
The extraordinary events of the last two years have encouraged experts to go into the field and compile data. The information obtained showed that several different factors were effective in the formation of this hole.
The first was that the strong circular current seen in the Weddell Sea in 2016-2017 caused salty hot water to rise to the surface. While these currents caused the ice to melt, they also prevented the mixing of fresh water.
“So an additional salt inflow was required to keep the hole open,” said Fabien Roquet, an oceanographer from Sweden. According to the researchers’ calculations, this salinity was caused by eddies around the Maud High. In the Ekman spiral formed by the effect of the wind on the surface, this salt water rose to the surface again and prevented the hole from closing.
The study, published in Science Advances, emphasizes that monitoring the Antarctic ice cover and determining future projections is of great importance. The frequency of such polynyas is expected to increase, especially due to strong winds. This will affect ocean currents as well as salinity and temperature changes in the polar seas.
From the University of California, Dr. Sarah Gille said, “The traces of polynyas can remain in the water for years and direct currents through heat transport. The resulting dense waters can spread throughout the ocean,” she says.
Solving the source of this mysterious hole in Antarctica will contribute to a clearer understanding of the possible effects of climate change on the seas. Monitoring such extreme events at the poles is of great importance in predicting the future of the planet.
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