
Environment
Geography word of the week: Polynya
Polynya[puh-lin-yuh]Definition:An area of largely unfrozen ocean surrounded by sea ice. Polynyas can be formed in several ways. Latent-heat…
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Members of a special Inuit Circumpolar Council commission tasked with consulting Inuit on how to save the North Water Polynya will this week journey to the Nunavut communities of Grise Fiord and Pond Inlet to begin talks with locals, according to a CBC report.
Like all polynyas, the North Water is a region of largely unfrozen ocean surrounded by sea ice. What makes it special, however, is that at about 80,000 square kilometres, it’s the largest polynya in the Northern Hemisphere and the most biologically productive ecosystem north of the Arctic Circle, providing an important habitat for marine mammals the Inuit rely on.
This infographic, published in the December 2015 issue of Canadian Geographic, explains where and how the polynya forms. Click the image to enlarge
(Infographic: Andy Mora/Canadian Geographic)
Environment
Polynya[puh-lin-yuh]Definition:An area of largely unfrozen ocean surrounded by sea ice. Polynyas can be formed in several ways. Latent-heat…
Environment
Researchers say the naturally occurring ice-free area, called a polynya, is a rare opportunity to study heat transfer between the ocean and atmopshere in the southern polar region
People & Culture
For generations, hunting, and the deep connection to the land it creates, has been a mainstay of Inuit culture. As the coastline changes rapidly—reshaping the marine landscape and jeopardizing the hunt—Inuit youth are charting ways to preserve the hunt, and their identity.
Exploration
A behind-the-scenes look at the adventures and discoveries of the passionate explorers funded by the Royal Canadian Geographical Society