Great Siberian Polynya

The Great Siberian Polynya (Russian: Великая Сибирская полынья) is a strip of open water and young ice that regularly forms beyond the outer edge of the fast ice in the area from Bolshoy Begichev Island in the Laptev Sea to the Medvezhyi Islands in the East Siberian Sea. In some years, the polynya significantly decreases and two relatively independent areas of open water and young ice form - the Lena and Novosibirsk polynyas.^[1]

A space photo of part of the Arctic. On the left side of the photo is the Great Siberian Polynya

History of discovery

The first information about the existence of the polynya was obtained in the 18th century. As early as 1736, Lomonosov wrote in his “Brief Description of Various Voyages in the Northern Seas and an Indication of a Possible Passage through the Siberian Ocean to East India,” based on historical documents and information received from the Pomors, “at a distance of five and seven hundred miles from the Siberian shores, the Siberian Ocean in the summer months is free of such ice that would impede ship travel.” He gave a classic description of the Great Siberian Polynya.^[2]

Economic use

Large areas of water free of pack ice are used for navigation and facilitate the development of shipping in the Laptev Sea, the East Siberian Sea and other sections of the Northern Sea Route.

See also

• Polynya
• Matvei Gedenshtrom