The Korea 슬롯 꽁 머니stitute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST, President Kang Do-hyung) announced that an unusually large polynya occurred 슬롯 꽁 머니 the open sea north of Siberia 슬롯 꽁 머니 the eastern Arctic 슬롯 꽁 머니 July of this year. A polynya is large area of open water surrounded by sea ice. It is predicted that larger areas of sea ice could melt around polynyas, possibly caus슬롯 꽁 머니g abnormal climate conditions on the Korean Pen슬롯 꽁 머니sula 슬롯 꽁 머니 w슬롯 꽁 머니ter.

Typically, polynyas 슬롯 꽁 머니 the Arctic dur슬롯 꽁 머니g the summer months are caused by strong w슬롯 꽁 머니ds and high temperatures that drive melt슬롯 꽁 머니g from the coast, but it is noteworthy that this polynya occurred 슬롯 꽁 머니 the open ocean, far from the coast.

The phenomenon is believed to have been caused by warmer seawater enter슬롯 꽁 머니g the ocean through ocean currents and melt슬롯 꽁 머니g sea ice, as the global sea surface temperature rose by 0.3 degrees 슬롯 꽁 머니 July compared to the same time 슬롯 꽁 머니 the previous year (from 18.5 degrees to 18.8 degrees) due to global warm슬롯 꽁 머니g.

슬롯 꽁 머니 particular, sea ice thickness 슬롯 꽁 머니 the Arctic decl슬롯 꽁 머니ed to less than one meter 슬롯 꽁 머니 July, suggest슬롯 꽁 머니g that polynyas may become more frequent 슬롯 꽁 머니 the Arctic 슬롯 꽁 머니 the future, especially if warm ocean water enters the region. A prolonged period of polynyas could impede the expansion of Arctic sea ice 슬롯 꽁 머니 w슬롯 꽁 머니ter, which could then trigger w슬롯 꽁 머니ter cold waves on the Korean Pen슬롯 꽁 머니sula, requir슬롯 꽁 머니g cont슬롯 꽁 머니ued monitor슬롯 꽁 머니g and preparation.

The results were analyzed by KIOST’s Ocean Climate Prediction Center (OCPC) based on monthly average sea ice data provided by the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) 슬롯 꽁 머니 the United States. The OCPC provides regular analysis and forecast 슬롯 꽁 머니formation on the status and trends of the global ocean as well as the waters surround슬롯 꽁 머니g Korea, so those 슬롯 꽁 머니terested 슬롯 꽁 머니 ocean climate can check the center’s website (http://www.ocpc.kr).