Abstract
Satellite pictures in 1973 of the frozen Weddell Sea near Antarctica revealed an unfrozen ‘lake’ surrounded by ice. In subsequent winters, the curiously unfrozen patch appeared, disappeared, reappeared, grew to nearly 300,000 km2, and drifted westward before vanishing. The source and the effects of this unfrozen lake on its surroundings may remain a mystery for not much longer: A joint American‐Soviet team recently began a 2‐month, on‐site investigation of the polynya (that's Russian for ‘unfrozen water surrounded by ice’).Two explanations for the polynya's existence predominate. ‘One is that a strong wind blows ice away before a significant amount can accumulate,’ according to Arnold L. Gordon, Eos associate editor and professor of geological sciences at the Lamont‐Doherty Geological Observatory. He is coordinating the expedition with the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute in Leningrad. ‘The other is that for some reason, enhanced convection is going on in this region. Basically, we think that the polynya is caused by upwelling of ocean heat rather than ice being removed by high winds.’
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