Umngxunya omkhulu wafunyanwa eAntarctica

Izinto ziyenzeka e-Antarctica ethi, nangona zizinto zendalo ngokupheleleyo, kuba utshintsho lwemozulu yinto eyenzeka ebantwini ngenxa yendlela abaphatha ngayo uMhlaba, ziziganeko ezisixhalabisayo.

Iindaba zamva zezi ukufunyanwa komngxunya omkhulu kunxweme loLwandle lwaseMeddell eAntarctica othuse oososayensi.

Iindawo zamanzi avulekileyo ezinje ngezo zifunyenwe, zijikelezwe ngumkhenkce wolwandle, zenzeka kwimimandla eselunxwemeni yeAntarctica nakwiArctic. I-polynyas eyaziwayo, inokuvela ngeendlela ezimbini: yinkqubo ye-thermodynamic, eyenzeka xa ubushushu bamanzi obungenakufikelela kwinqanaba lokubanda; nokuba kukwenziwa ngumoya wekatabatic okanye imisinga yolwandle, ethwala umkhenkce kude nomda omiselweyo womkhenkce ongapheliyo

Into engaqhelekanga malunga ne-polynya ebonwe kunxweme lwe-Antarctica yile Kunzulu kwi-cap polar. Ngokwenzululwazi, yenziwa ngeenkqubo ezingekabinangcaciso ngazo. Ngaba inokuba lutshintsho lwemozulu? Kusesekuqaleni kakhulu ukuxelela, kodwa esinye sezizathu kukholelwa ukuba kunyibilika komkhenkce wolwandle ngenxa yamanzi ashushu oLwandlekazi iAntarctic.

Ixesha lokugqibela nantoni na efana nayo inokujongwa kwindawo yoLwandle i-Weddel yayiyee-1970s, kodwa kwakungekho zixhobo zaneleyo zokuyifunda ngelo xesha. Ngoku, enkosi kwiisathelayithi kunye neerobhothi ezifakwe nzulu elwandle, iingcali ziyakwazi ukuzihlalutya. Yiyo loo nto bekwazile ukufumanisa ukuba polynya yanamhlanje amanyathelo malunga ne-80.000 yeekhilomitha zesikwere, ubukhulu obukhulu kancinane kunommandla wePanama.

Ngolwazi oluthe kratya, sicebisa ukuba undwendwele iphepha leDyunivesithi yaseToronto, apho usosayensi uKent Moore engowakhe, omnye wabaphandi bale meko, esenza cofa apha.