Maud Rise Polynya 25 Sept 2017

The polynya over Maud Rise was visible in a beautiful clear MODIS image on 25 September. It is currently ~40,000 km2 of open water in the middle of the Antarctic winter sea ice. This will be some impressive heat loss.

MODIS image of the polyna over Maud rise on 25 Sept 2017. The black is ~40,000km2 of open water.
MODIS image of the polyna over Maud rise on 25 Sept 2017. The black is ~40,000km2 of open water.

This is the polynya in the SMMI Data for the same day.

Location of Maud Rise polynya 25 Sept 2017.
Location of Maud Rise polynya 25 Sept 2017.

A while back I calculated the heat loss through 2,000 km2 of open water in the Arctic as being ~600 GW. This is about 20 times as much open water…

As I said then, the heat loss is making the surface waters denser, so they sink away from the surface

More to come on this I expect.