In a study recently published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, after decades of research on the phenomenon, scientists finally understand why the mysterious hole disappears and reappears.
It was first discovered in the 1970s when photos of Earth were being taken from space. Scientists noticed a mysterious hole in one of Antarctica's seasonal ice packs, which disappeared in the summertime and reappeared recently. It also reappeared on the coldest winter months when the ice is supposed to be at its thickest. It showed up in the same ice pack but is 740 percent larger than before. When summertime came, it once again retreated with the summer ice.
With advanced satellite technology observation and reanalysis of previous data, researchers from New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) have found that these ephemeral holes, known as polynyas, seems to be scars from cyclonic storms.
The NYUAD team stated that the reappearance of the polynyas is caused by strong winds and very big waves (reaching up to 52 feet) pushing the Antarctic ice pack in all directions and acting like a drill penetrating the ice to the water below.
The appearance of polynyas is quite important since it can serve as a pathway for wildlife such as seals and penguins. Also, these are powerful influencers of the atmosphere and could also be a possible gauge to climate change.
Also although polynyas are not necessarily disastrous, in large numbers and bigger sizes they can still disrupt our climate models.
"Because of their large size, mid-sea polynyas, through intense deep convection, are capable of impacting the climate regionally and globally as they modify the oceanic circulation underneath." states the lead author of the new research, NYUAD atmospheric scientist Diana Francis.
"This includes the impact on the regional atmospheric circulation, the global overturning circulation, Antarctic deep and bottom water properties, and oceanic carbon uptake," she further stated.
They could impact our climate locally, regionally, and potentially globally by modifying the oceanic circulation below them. With this premise, the range of possible consequences because of their presence could be quite astonishing.
Now with cyclone activity increasing and intensifying, and given the link between polynyas and cyclones that was demonstrated in this study, Francis stated that polynya events may become more and more frequent.
It would seem like there is another atmospheric variable is now in play in our current climate crisis.
