For years, the Maud Rise ice gap has puzzled scientists, as it forms in open ocean away from coastal winds. Discovered in 1974 and 1976 in the Weddell Sea, Antarctica, this mysterious open water area surrounded by sea ice reappears periodically but can also disappear for years at a time. Despite extensive research, the exact conditions that lead to its formation remain unclear.
However, recent studies have shed new light on this enigmatic phenomenon. In 2016 and 2017, an 80,000 square kilometer hole opened up for several weeks during both winters, providing scientists with an opportunity to study it more closely and potentially solve the mystery. Research published in Science Advances by postdoctoral researcher Aditya Narayanan and colleagues at the University of Southampton provides new insights into this fascinating phenomenon.
Sea ice expands from a minimum area of about 3 million square kilometers to 18 million square kilometers as the seasons transition from summer to winter, covering approximately 4% of the Earth’s surface. Most sea ice forms during the polar night when strong continental winds push ice blocks apart, creating ice holes known as polynyas. However, the Maud Rise ice gap forms away from coastal winds, making its creation less likely and more challenging to understand.
To unravel the mystery, researchers studied data from satellites, automated buoys, tagged marine mammals
