polynya
1
9.9
- noun
- /pəˈlɪn.jə/
- UK
- Polynyas that recur from year to year are critical to marine mammals like ringed seals; they rely on them as breathing holes and as sources of food.
Examples
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3) Polynyas (consistently recurring openings), 4) divergence zones, and 5) the front.
Academic text (1997) -
Bowhead whales observed from aircraft were often found in polynyas or leads within solid ice (Belikov et al., 1989).
Academic text (1995) -
MAN: I do believe the narwhal return to that polynya.
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What the Russians call polynyas.
Fiction book (1999) -
But along the coastline of the Arctic basin, polynyas—pools of open water in an otherwise frozen Arctic—remain open in annual sea ice.
Academic text (2012) -
In the Arctic, scientists discovered a large polynya that provided essential habitat for various marine species.
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The polynya formed in the Antarctic, allowing researchers to study the effects of climate change on marine ecosystems.
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A stunning polynya appeared in the frozen ocean, creating a striking contrast against the surrounding sea ice.
Surface Forms
Etymology
Polynya comes from the Russian word полынья, which means 'a hole in the ice' or 'open water in ice'. Think of a breathing hole in the frozen sea where seals come up for air and ships can find a way out; that is why polynya means an area of open water surrounded by sea ice.