What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
The giant Antarctic “ice holes” were polynyas: openings in floating sea ice, not holes in the continent’s grounded ice sheet. The Maud Rise polynya formed in the Weddell Sea when seamount-shaped circulation, unusually salty surface water, strong winds and storms combined to drive deep mixing; a 2024 study identified salt transport by turbulent eddies and Ekman transport as a key part of sustaining that mixing.
Scientists pieced together the explanation using satellite maps, robotic floats, tagged elephant seals, weather data and ocean modeling. The evidence supports a mechanism for this event, while leaving details of future recurrence unsettled.
![Science Essentials: Science Made Easy Boxed Set [Box Set of 6 Books] / Illustrated Science Book for Kids / Simplified Concepts of Science / Kids’ Book](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51b7iYH-Q2L._SL160_.jpg)
What is a polynya?
A polynya is an area of open water within sea ice. Coastal polynyas often form when offshore winds push ice away from shore. The Maud Rise event was an open-ocean polynya, far offshore over deep water, where ocean circulation and winds both mattered.
| Feature | Coastal polynya | Maud Rise open-ocean polynya |
|---|---|---|
| Setting | Near a coast or between islands | Far offshore over deep water |
| Main opening process | Winds push sea ice away | Ocean circulation brings warmer, saltier water upward, interacting with winds and storms |
| Role of seafloor | Not central to the usual explanation | Maud Rise shapes local circulation |
The distinction matters: a polynya opens and closes in floating sea ice. It is not a cavity in the Antarctic landmass.
Recommended Free Tools
#1 Best Overall
When did the Maud Rise polynya appear?
Large Maud Rise openings were observed in 1974, 1975 and 1976. In August 2016, a satellite-observed opening covered about 33,000 square kilometers (13,000 square miles) for roughly three weeks. In September and October 2017, it reached about 50,000 square kilometers (19,000 square miles). These figures and dates are reported by UC San Diego and Scripps Institution of Oceanography (2019).
Maud Rise is an underwater seamount in the Weddell Sea. It alters local currents and can support a rotating vortex above it, creating conditions that help make the area vulnerable to open-ocean polynyas.
How did the polynya form?
- The seamount shaped circulation. Maud Rise influenced the flow of dense seawater and helped establish the local ocean structure.
- Conditions favored mixing. The 2016 surface ocean was especially salty, and intense winter storms and changing winds promoted stronger vertical mixing.
- Deep water reached the surface. Cold air cooled surface water, making it denser so it sank. Warmer, saltier deep water rose to replace it, helping inhibit sea-ice re-formation.
- Salt transport helped sustain the process. Melting sea ice freshens surface water and can weaken the mixing that brings deep water upward. A 2024 study found that turbulent eddies moved salt onto the top of Maud Rise, while Ekman transport moved salt toward the northern flank where the polynya first formed. The added salt helped sustain the mixing of heat and salt toward the surface.
The 2019 research account emphasized unusual ocean conditions and intense storms; the 2024 study added a specific mechanism for salt delivery. These are complementary parts of the explanation, not competing accounts.
Rank #2
How scientists investigated the opening
This was an observational study supported by modeling, not a controlled laboratory experiment. Each source of evidence helped answer a different question.
Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minutePC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11| Evidence | What it helped show |
|---|---|
| Satellite maps | Where and when open water appeared and how its size changed |
| Robotic floats | Temperature, salinity and ocean structure beneath sea ice |
| Tagged elephant seals | Conditions in hard-to-reach waters beneath the ice, measured by sensors during the animals’ natural dives |
| Weather stations and atmospheric reanalysis | The timing and strength of winds and storms |
| Ocean modeling | How the observed conditions and processes could work together |
The seals were not robots or remotely controlled. Temporary sensors attached to them collected data as they moved and dived naturally. Satellite images revealed the surface opening; floats and seals helped reveal the water beneath it.
Why do polynyas matter?
Polynyas create openings for exchange between the ocean and atmosphere. They can affect the movement of heat, gases and nutrients. Dense water formed in the region can sink and contribute to broader ocean circulation, but a single polynya should not be treated as controlling global climate.
Rank #3
Did climate change cause the Maud Rise polynya?
The cited research does not establish that climate change caused this particular opening. It connects the event to local ocean conditions, winds and storms, with salt transport helping sustain mixing. The sources do not settle how often Maud Rise polynyas will occur in the future, so their recurrence remains an open question.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.FAQ
What were the giant holes in Antarctic ice?
They were polynyas—areas of open ocean surrounded by floating sea ice in the Weddell Sea. They were not holes through the Antarctic continent or grounded ice sheet.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →What is the Maud Rise polynya?
It is an open-ocean polynya in the Weddell Sea above the underwater Maud Rise seamount. The seamount influences local circulation, while winds, storms and ocean mixing also contribute to its formation.
How did scientists solve the mystery?
They combined satellite maps, float measurements, data from sensors carried by elephant seals, weather observations and modeling. A 2024 study identified turbulent eddies and Ekman transport as ways salt reached the site and helped sustain mixing.
Did storms alone create the opening?
No. The evidence points to interacting factors: seamount-shaped circulation, salty surface conditions, winds and storms, vertical mixing, and salt transport.
How large was the 2017 opening?
UC San Diego and Scripps Institution of Oceanography reported that it reached about 50,000 square kilometers (19,000 square miles) in September and October 2017. Their account reported about 33,000 square kilometers (13,000 square miles) for roughly three weeks in August 2016.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
