Researchers now know why a massive hole in Antarctica sprang out of nowhere 8 years ago.

A massive hole in Antarctica sprang

In recent years, Antarctica has given us a plethora of unexpected stories, and now the scientific community is questioning another one.

In case you missed it, conspiracy theorists have recently focused more of their attention on Antarctica than you may think. First, they were interested in the mystery surrounding a supposed “pyramid” that is growing in the ice, and then they were drawn to the oddest natural phenomenon, known as “bleeding waterfalls.”
Expert attention has recently been drawn to a massive hole that appeared out of nowhere eight years ago [via IFLScience].

In 2016, an ice hole in Antarctica’s Weddell Sea baffled scientists at the time, but a recent research may have provided an explanation.

The hole itself is twice the size of Wales and is colossal. The term “polynya” refers to the occurrence whereby open water patches emerge inside sea ice.

The largest hole discovered in forty years was known as the Maud Rise Polynya. It was initially explained as the result of storm damage and unforeseen ocean conditions.
But according to recent research that was made publicly available in Science Advances, the polynya was actually caused by a particular current and its effects.

According to the researchers, following a period of high currents from 2015 to 2018, the circular current known as the Weddell Gyre carried warm, salty water to the surface.

In a statement, University of Gothenburg professor Fabien Roquet said: “This upwelling helps to explain how the sea ice might melt.” However, when the sea ice melts, the surface water gets fresher, which should limit the mixing. Therefore, for the polynya to continue, another process needs to be in place. Somewhere has to be adding more salt to the mixture.

Additionally, Professor Sarah Gille of the University of California, San Diego stated: “Polynya imprints can linger in water for several years after they are produced. They can alter the flow of water and the direction in which currents bring heat towards the continent. The global ocean can be traversed by the dense waters that form here.

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Scientists have discovered why a huge hole in Antarctica mysteriously opened 8 years ago (msn.com)