polynya

American  

[puh-lin-yuh] / pəˈlɪn yə /

noun

1. an area of unfrozen sea water surrounded by ice.

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polynya British  

/ ˈpɒlənˌjɑː /

noun

1. a stretch of open water surrounded by ice, esp near the mouths of large rivers, in arctic seas

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polynya Scientific  

/ pŏl′ən-yä′,pə-lĭn′yə /

1. An area of open water surrounded by sea ice. A polynya can be formed by the presence of a heat source that keeps the area from freezing. A more complex process involves wind or ocean currents that carry ice away from the polynya, constantly exposing more ocean water to ice formation and resulting in the release of very salty, dense water that sinks to become part of a halocline.

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Etymology

Origin of polynya

1850–55; < Russian polyn'yá, Old Russian polynĭi equivalent to pol ( ŭ ) empty, open + -ynĭi noun suffix

Example Sentences

They found the polynya was brought on by complex interactions between the wind, ocean currents, and the unique geography of the ocean floor, transporting heat and salt towards the surface.

From Science Daily • May 1, 2024

A study reveals a key process that had eluded scientists as to how the opening, called a polynya, was able to form and persist for several weeks.

From Science Daily • May 1, 2024

The 2016 polynya and the storms were no doubt linked, Dr. Turner said, as the rough conditions served to break up the sea ice.

From New York Times • Jun. 17, 2020

Travelling eastwards and then southwards, the Shokalskiy took a route through a relatively clear patch of water, called the Mertz polynya.

From BBC • Jan. 21, 2014

This heat melts the ice, forming an opening called a polynya.

From Time Magazine Archive