BIOL 3753 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Polynya, Drift Ice, Fast Ice
Document Summary
Ice that covers seawater but is attached to land. Transition area from open ocean to pack ice. Area of recurrent or permanently open water surrounded by sea ice. Formed by heat, wind, tidal action and/or upwelling currents. Open water created by upwelling of current the warm water from the bottom is brought up and melts the layer of ice. Open water kept open by wind or current the cold water is prevented from becoming ice by the constant movement of the water. Where the ice ends and open sea water begins. A long narrow opening in sea ice, usually between fast and pack ice. Created when two pieces of solid ice come together. Where water is mostly solid like sea ice. Many brine channels throughout it that algae and zooplankton use as microhabitats the sun"s radiation comes through the ice and heats up it enough to increase productivity.