A study on mechanisms for the formation of polynyas in the Antarctic

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Polynyas are the areas of open water which often occurs within the Antarctic sea ice cover. The major purpose of this study is to provide fundamental informations of actual behaviors which occur in the polynyas, and of its role in the polar regions.To investigate the polynyas, we adopted two regions, around Syowa Station and off Adelie Land as study areas. The results of our investigations are as follows ;(1) There are two types of formation and maintenance for coastal polynyas. One is produced and maintained by strong, local winds and the existence of fast ice in a region east of the polynya. The formation and maintenance of the other polynya are controlled by synoptic scale weather.(2) the coastal polynya just off Adelie Land, Antarctic plays an important role on the formation of part of Antarctic Bottom Water, through the active production of sea ice there in winter.