Book 18, Question 89
What Is a Polynya?
A polynya is a patch of open water surrounded by sea ice! It sounds like pol-IN-yah. These watery windows are very important for wildlife.
More fun facts
- A polynya is a patch of open water that stays unfrozen in the middle of sea ice.
- Polynyas often form near coasts, ice that is stuck to the shore, or ice shelves.
- Some form when winds blow the ice apart.
- Others form when warmer water rises from deep in the ocean and melts the ice from below.
- Some polynyas stay open year after year, while others open and close with the seasons.
- They can grow to tens of thousands of square kilometers.
- Algae, plankton and larger animals can thrive in polynyas.
Questions kids ask
How do scientists find polynyas?
They use satellite pictures, where polynyas show up as dark patches of water in the white sea ice.