The Maud Rise ice gap, a perplexing open water area surrounded by sea ice in the Weddell Sea of Antarctica, has been a mystery to scientists for decades. First discovered in 1974 and 1976, the hole has reappeared in different sizes at the same location before vanishing for years. Despite extensive research, the conditions necessary for its formation have remained unclear, leading to confusion within the scientific community.
Recent studies have shed light on this phenomenon, with new research published in the journal Science Advances by postdoctoral researcher Aditya Narayanan and colleagues at the University of Southampton. According to their findings, sea ice in Antarctica undergoes expansion during the transition from summer to winter, covering a significant portion of the Earth’s surface. Most sea ice forms during the polar night on floating ice shelves surrounding the continent. However, polynyas or ice holes typically form due to strong continental winds pushing ice blocks apart, allowing seawater within these gaps to freeze further.
The Maud Rise ice gap is located away from coastal winds and less likely to form an ice hole. The researchers found that in 2016 and 2017, the Weddell Gyre circular current in the Weddell Sea was stronger than usual, causing underwater currents to bring salt and heat closer to the surface. This created a spiral effect around Maud Rise submarine mountain that caused salt water to rise to
