noun
- areas of open water surrounded by sea ice, especially in polar regions
Usage: oceanography; polar science
Examples
- Arctic polynyas provide breathing holes for seals and whales.
- The researchers studied wildlife activity around the polynyas.
- Polynyas form when winds or currents prevent ice from forming.
- Many seabirds depend on polynyas for feeding during winter.
- The satellite images clearly showed several large polynyas in the ice pack.
- Indigenous hunters have long known the locations of reliable polynyas.