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Topic: Polynya

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	NOW-The north Water polynya-What's a polynya?
		Hence, recurring polynyas are suspected to be focal points for the intense and early production of the planktonic herbivores that ensure the transfer of solar energy fixed by planktonic microalgae to Arctic cod, seals, whales, polar bear and man (simplified Arctic food web).
		In latent heat polynyas, the wind that carries the ice away also churns the water column, thus preventing the warming of the surface layer and the growth of algae which are entrained into deeper waters where darkness prevails.
		In areas surrounding the polynya, the interval between the break-up of the ice cover in mid-summer and the return of the polar night may be as short as 2 months.
	www.fsg.ulaval.ca /giroq/now/what.htm (896 words)

	Spartanburg SC \| GoUpstate.com \| Spartanburg Herald-Journal (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-17)
		The second type of polynya is called a Latent Heat Polynya and is formed through the action of the wind or ocean currents which act to drive ice away from a fixed boundary, such as a coastline, fast ice, or an ice bridge.
		The polynya forms by initially the first year pack ice being driven away from the coast, which leaves an area of open water within which new ice is formed.
		So, polynyas are suspected to be places where intense and early production of the planktonic herbivores ensure the transfer of solar energy (food chain) fixed by planktonic microalgae to Arctic cod, seals, whales, and polar bears.
	www.goupstate.com /apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=NEWS&template=wiki&text=polynya (448 words)

	Explaining the Weddell Polynya--a Large Ocean Eddy Shed at Maud Rise -- Data Supplement - -- Science
		A polynya that forms in seasonally sea-ice covered areas could contribute disproportionately to the sequestration of atmospheric CO and thus modulate the rate of air-sea carbon exchange (3).
		Surface ocean feedbacks are important to the polynya, once established, as are the atmospheric feedbacks, but neither provides an adequate explanation of the initiation of the polynya, particularly with respect to a recurring geographic location, as implied by the satellite observations.
		Polynya forming in the open ocean have long been held to have a thermodynamical origin associated with the upwelling of warm deep waters, a process brought on by static instability and vertical convection.
	www.sciencemag.org /cgi/content/full/292/5522/1697/DC1/1 (3972 words)

	Baffin Bay
		At the northern end of the bay, Canada's largest polynya, an area of open water surrounded by sea ice, provides an overwintering ground for belugas, WALRUSES and NARWHALS.
		This polynya, the North Water, is an oasis of biological productivity in the spring and supports immense nesting populations of seabirds, such as thick-billed MURRES and dovekies.
		Fishing began in the bay as early as 1650, and by 1900 intensive fishing by Europeans and Americans had depleted the bay's large whale population.
	www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com /index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0000449 (278 words)

	EO Newsroom: New Images - Polynya North of Alaska
		Polynyas are not unusual, and some form in about the same place year after year, such as the “Northwater Polynya” in Baffin Bay.
		This new polynya, however, was unusual in that it appeared north of Alaska, in the Beaufort Sea—an area where satellites have not typically detected open water.
		Although a polynya formed north of Alaska in 2000, it was smaller and closer to the ice edge.
	earthobservatory.nasa.gov /Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=17407 (446 words)

	Polynya Arctic Services - Packages
		Polynya Adventure and Coordination can plan, organize and run trips and expeditions to all three of Nunavuts National Parks; Auyuittuq (Pangnirtung and Qikiqtarjuaq), Sirmilik (Arctic Bay and Pond Inlet) and Quttinirpaaq (Resolute and Grise Fiord) The three National Parks represent some of the wildest and most beautiful landscapes anywhere in the world.
		Polynya will not only take you to the various galleries where these works of art are displayed and on sale, but also to the artists and carvers themselves.
		Polynya is proud to offer you the opportunity to camp at a guaranteed remote location with fly in access only.
	www.polynya.ca /01_arctic/01_packages.htm (1230 words)

	Polynya - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
		A polynya (Russian: полынья; IPA: [pəlɨˈnʲjə] ice hole) is an area of open water surrounded by sea ice.
		In spring, the thin or absent ice cover allows light in, through the surface layer as soon as the winter night ends, which triggers the early blooming of microalgae that are at the basis of the marine food chain.
		So, polynyas are suspected to be places where intense and early production of the planktonic herbivores ensure the transfer of solar energy (food chain) fixed by planktonic microalgae to Arctic cod, seals, whales, polar bear and humans.
	en.wikipedia.org /wiki/Polynya (203 words)

	Print Article: Picnicking penguins pop up at the polynya (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-17)
		It indicates that a polynya may act as a doorway to the pack ice zone beyond.
		The Stanford team watched seasonal changes in polynyas' size, as well as in the abundance of microscopic marine plants called phytoplankton that form the base of the polar food chain.
		Polynyas (which take their name from the Russian for "areas of open water") are said to provide ideal conditions for blooms of phytoplankton which are eaten by krill; the tiny but abundant krill are, in turn, a vital food source for most other Antarctic marine life.
	www.smh.com.au /cgi-bin/common/popupPrintArticle.pl?path=/articles/2003/10/08/1065601915788.html (391 words)

	Keele University Annual Review 1996: 2
		polynya is an area of virtually ice-free water which exists during climatological conditions where we would expect sea-ice to form.
		Coastal polynyas are generally formed when the large quantity of sea-ice that is formed in the open water is swept offshore by the wind and finally accumulates at the edge of the offshore ice pack.
		Polynyas have an important influence on local climatic conditions because in the winter there is a large transfer of heat from these oceanic regions to the atmosphere.
	www.keele.ac.uk /university/ar/96/ar960002.htm (1406 words)

	Arctic Ocean Sciences Board (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-17)
		Three polynyas were selected for investigation and inter-comparison: the Northeast Water (NEW), which lies northeast of Greenland; the Northwater (NOW), which forms at the north end of Baffin Bay; and the St. Lawrence Island Polynya (SLIP) in the northeastern Pacific.
		We are still engaged by this perspective, but the scientific approach has matured from one of seemingly isolated "internal" studies of a single polynya to one that addresses both "internal" and "external" consequences and feedbacks, from polynya to the wider Arctic and vice versa.
		The three polynyas studied under the auspices of the IAPP form in the waters of Greenland/Denmark and/or Canada; two of them (North Water and Cape Bathurst Polynya) are currently targeted for long-term time-series research under PACE.
	www.aosb.org /IAPP.html (2976 words)

	MMAB Weddell Polynya Watch
		A polynya is an area of reduced or zero ice concentration.
		This was preceded (in time at least) by the formation of a large polynya in the Cosmonaut Sea in early-mid July.
		The polynya, when it occurs, is quite important for the oceans and the atmosphere.
	polar.ncep.noaa.gov /seaice/Weddell.html (490 words)

	Polynya North of Alaska
		Polynyas are not unusual, and some form in about the same place year after year, such as the “Northwater Polynya” in Baffin Bay.
		This new polynya, however, was unusual in that it appeared north of Alaska, in the Beaufort Sea—an area where satellites have not typically detected open water.
		Although a polynya formed north of Alaska in 2000, it was smaller and closer to the ice edge.
	news.eoportal.org /research/061002_polynya.html (424 words)

	NOW-The North Water polynya-Science
		The IAPP Mission Statement and Core Programme specifies three principal axes of research for polynyas studies conducted under its aegis: 1) the generation of the polynya; 2) the ecosystem of the polynya; and 3) the role of the polynya in the carbon dioxide flux.
		The reduction of the ice cover that characterizes polynyas can occur in two ways: wind may remove the ice from an area faster than it is produced (latent-heat case) or warm waters may supply the heat necessary to melt the ice cover locally (sensible heat case).
		Hence, how and when the polynya opens is predicted to affect the life cycles of planktonic herbivores and their predators, the local transfer of primary production towards the pelagic food web and the faecal component of the vertical particle flux.
	www.fsg.ulaval.ca /giroq/now/scien.htm (3527 words)

	RedOrbit - Science - Changes in the Arctic: Consequences for the World (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-17)
		Polynyas are areas of open water or reduced ice cover, usually created by strong winds that blow ice away from the coast.
		Arrigo found that the Cape Bathurst polynya contained considerable variability, in terms of initial polynya formation and in the extent and persistence of open water, over a five year period (1998-2002).
		Several fish species use polynyas as feeding and nursery grounds and since seasonal temperatures influence polynya formation, it is clear that climate changes can have a major impact on the marine food web, in both the short and long term.
	www.redorbit.com /news/display/?id=121787 (1786 words)

	IPY: International Polar Year
		While both the Arctic and Antarctic possess a permanent sea ice cover, in the Antarctic the seasonal cycle is much greater than in the Arctic, with the ice extent varying from 4 x 10^6 km2 in summer to 18 x 10^6 km2 in winter.
		The size of Terra Nova Bay polynya will be followed on day by day basis with AMSR-E images; in correspondence of a full opening of the polynya, ASAR WS images will be acquired from ESA archive, these latter offering a detailed description of polynya conditions.
		Polynya size data will be compared with wind information to be obtained by the Antarctic Automatic Weather Stations Project of the University of Wisconsin (uwamrc.ssec.wisc.edu/aws.html).
	www.ipy.org /development/eoi/details.php?id=608 (737 words)

	abs.BL.htm (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-17)
		Polynyas, or areas of combined open water and thin ice surrounded by sea and/or land ice, are thought to play important roles in heat transfer from ocean to atmosphere, ice production, the formation of dense shelf water, spring disinte-gration of sea ice, and the sustenance of primary and secondary productivity in polar regions.
		However, consideration of the polynya duration combined with the anomalous open water fraction during polynya events identifies the 1988 and 1990 winter polynyas as having the same large cumulative impact on the oceanic surface energy balance, and the 1989 and 1991 polynyas as having a 20% smaller impact.
		The result for the 1988 winter is contaminated by two long polynya events which are not clearly distinguished from the average conditions by open water fraction anomalies from the 25-day running mean.
	polarmet.mps.ohio-state.edu /PolarMet/PMGAbstracts/abs.BLVR.98.html (451 words)

	3 Oct 2006: Arctic Sea Ice Shrinks as Temperatures Rise
		Another notable feature of the 2006 melt season was the development of a large polynya, or area of persistent open water surrounded by sea ice, north of Alaska (see Figure 4).
		An unusual polynya, or area of persistent open water surrounded by ice, appeared during the melt season.
		The polynya is the dark area of open water; to the left is the coastline of Alaska, showing fall foliage color, and to the bottom right is the North Pole.
	www.nsidc.org /news/press/2006_seaiceminimum/20061003_pressrelease.html (1150 words)

	Extreme Conditions Ahead for Antarctic Voyagers Media Release 13 July 1998
		Dr Allison said that scientists have known for some time that open water and thin ice regions called 'polynyas' occur near the Antarctic coast in areas otherwise covered by pack ice but this will be the first time that a research program will be undertaken in such a difficult working environment.
		Biologists will also be fully occupied during the voyage investigating whether the polynya acts an "oasis" where krill and other forms of life congregate.
		Studies will be carried out to assess the importance of the polynya to birds, seals and whales during the harsh Antarctic winter.
	www.environment.gov.au /minister/ps/98/mcmr13jul98.html (691 words)

	PolarHusky.com / Education {Experience Authentic Learning Online} (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-17)
		In Russian polynya means "an area of open water that is surrounded by sea ice." A polynya is a place in the Arctic Ocean where there is no or very thin ice.
		A polynya is often referred to as an "oasis in the Arctic ice!" Polynyas are very important for Arctic wildlife - just like an oasis is to the animal living in the sand desert.
		With Spring come whales and birds by the millions flocking from the south to this safe haven as they await the arrival of the short sumer season.
	www.polarhusky.com /polynya.asp?menuID=44 (213 words)

	Remote Sensing - Research Activities - Sea ice remote sensing - Polynya monitoring
		Polynyas of the former kind are called latent heat polynyas, those of the latter kind sensible heat polynya.
		Quasi-permanent latent heat polynyas develop all around the Antarctic coast where winds blowing offshore permanently push the sea ice away from the coast or shelf-ice edge.
		Polynyas that develop in the Arctic Ocean and its marginal seas are less permanent and may be even called quasi-periodic - depending on the frequency of low-pressure systems passing by.
	www.ifm.zmaw.de /~wwwrs/RS_seaice_POLYNYA.html (1144 words)

	[No title]
		Although coastal polynyas represent only a small fraction (1 to 5 percent) of the total surface area of the polar oceans, they exert an important influence on both regional and global climate.
		It has been suggested that polynyas produce as much as half of the sea ice and are a major factor in maintaining the halocline in the polar regions.
		Furthermore, by running the simulation both with and without the presence of the warm West Greenland Current, it is demonstrated that the upwelling of warm water along the Greenland coast intensifies the polynya, increasing the polynya area by 25 to 50% and decreasing ice thickness near the coast by approximately 30%.
	www.fhsu.edu /geo/heinrichs/abs_95_iugg.html (339 words)

	Polynya data (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-17)
		The polynyas include areas of open water and young ice up to 30 cm thick, as well as zones of very open and open ice with not more than 5 tenths concentration located between the landfast ice boundary and close drifting ice floes.
		The use of polynyas for shipping depends on their temporary stability, which is estimated by the frequency of occurrence of polynyas (the percentage ratio of the cases with the presence of polynyas to the total number of observations in the region).
		For polynya characteristics (length average width), the ice charts of the scale of 1:5000000 were used.
	www.fni.no /insrop/DOC_DATAPolynya_data.html (331 words)

	22 Dec - The week on ES (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-17)
		This is a polynya: a large expanse of water surrounded by ice.
		In areas where sea ice is present, the upper layer of the ocean is essentially capped, preventing the transfer of heat, moisture and gases between the ocean and atmosphere.
		There are a few theories about why polynyas form and their role in the ocean circulation system, but more data is needed before these can be conclusive.
	www.antarctica.ac.uk /Living_and_Working/Diaries/RRS_Ernest_Shackleton/antarctic2003_2004/12/index.html (1124 words)

	Changes in the Arctic: Consequences for the World
		Polynyas are areas of open water or reduced ice cover, usually created by strong winds that blow ice away from the coast.
		Arrigo found that the Cape Bathurst polynya contained considerable variability, in terms of initial polynya formation and in the extent and persistence of open water, over a five year period (1998-2002).
		Several fish species use polynyas as feeding and nursery grounds and since seasonal temperatures influence polynya formation, it is clear that climate changes can have a major impact on the marine food web, in both the short and long term.
	www.spacedaily.com /news/iceage-05c.html (1887 words)

	Australian Antarctic Division - Approaching the Mertz Galcier Polynya
		There is anticipation that an important program, many years in planning and preparation, is finally about to come to fruition, but apprehension that the unknown weather and ice conditions in the region will make the work planned for the next six weeks very difficult.
		During the voyage south, and particularly once within the ice, all onboard have been involved in preparations of equipment for the polynya work, and in planning and training.
		Frustratingly however the weather changed for the worse and we experienced a blizzard with wind gusts to 65 knots, temperature of —25C, and visibility of less than 70 m in drifting snow.
	www.aad.gov.au /default.asp?casid=5495 (739 words)

	The Antarctic Sun (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-17)
		A polynya is an area of perennially ice-free water where atmospheric conditions would normally cause freezing.
		The most common causes of polynyas are katabatic winds pushing ice offshore faster than it can freeze or the upwelling of relatively warm ocean water from below.
		This time the focus of study was the Mertz Glacier Polynya, a box roughly bounded by 140 and 150 degrees east longitude, the Adelie and George V Coasts, and the line between 65 and 66 degrees south latitude.
	antarcticsun.usap.gov /oldissues2000-2001/2001_0121/palmer.html (601 words)

	Polynya Coordination Services
		Polynya is your one-stop source for coordination services in Nunavut communities.
		Polynya's commitment to excellence is the same regardless of the project; whether it's an afternoon meeting, weeklong conference, community consultation, trade show, or large-scale gala event.
		Enjoy peace of mind knowing that Polynya is saving you time, energy and money, while ensuring an event you are proud to host.
	www.polynya.ca /02_coordination/02_coordination.html (100 words)

	NASA Earth Science Data and Services: Phytoplankton and Polynyas
		Polynyas are significant because they allow light and nutrient conditions in which seasonal, very dense blooms flourish, creating a significant carbon sink.
		Phytoplankton absorb atmospheric carbon, and with such a large annual bloom in the polynya, researchers realized that the Ross Sea might play a greater role in global carbon cycling than was previously thought.
		As witnessed in the annual polynya blooms, productivity reaches a peak in mid to late December along the receding ice edges, and then declines steadily into January and February as the ice freezes and closes the polynya.
	nasadaacs.eos.nasa.gov /articles/1995/1995_polynya.html (864 words)

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