So what is a polynya

OK. some people were asking what a polynya is exactly. I have a simple def i use in my justifications:

Polynyas are areas of open water within the sea ice where you would expect to find only an icey covering. They appear in winter when air temperatures are well below the freezing point of sea water and are bordered by water that is covered with ice. They are typically rectangular or elliptical in shape and occur quasi-continuously in the same regions. The size of polynyas can range from a few hundred meters to hundreds of kilometers. At these open water sites you get oceanic and atmospheric as well biological activity - which are studied by a wide variety of disciplines.

I only try to locate them using various remote data sources and cool coding....

Now the image i have shown you is a lovely composite of various remote sensing products to show you the polynya

1. open water to thin, new ice (polynya) - black/purple/blue/aqua
   
2. sea ice or cloud - green/yellow/red


3. land or fast ice - white/red

I made this. It took me a long time. I really enjoyed the process of making it and finding out how i might make it. Happy days....