Scientists have discovered the second deepest crater on Earth

Scientists from Ecosur (Colegio de la Frontera Sur) have discovered the second deepest “blue hole” in the world. The sea cave, which is 274 meters deep, is located in Chetumal Bay, Mexico, and was named Taam ja – “deep water” in the Mayan language.

The group found this hole in September 2021, but recently released a study about the discovery. This poll came out in an issue of the magazine Frontiers in Marine Sciences.

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“blue hole”

Using dives, water samples and echolocation surveys, the scientists’ work indicates that the “blue hole” has a surface area of ​​13.7 square kilometers and features steep sides, slopes of 80 degrees. Its mouth is just under five meters below sea level, where the water changes dramatically with temperature and salinity gradients.

In terms of depth, the crater is second only to that of Sansha Yongle, China (300 meters long). However, the new “blue hole” is significantly deeper than the Great Blue Hole, off the coast of Belize (a country in Central America), which is 125 meters deep.

Take a tour of the sea cave in the video below, posted by Ecosur:

next steps

The researchers who discovered the Ja bait say that future studies should analyze the microbial diversity in the water and understand what kind of life lives here. Studying the structure and geology of this sea cave may also shed some light on the ecology and climate of the distant past.

After all, “blue holes” like these formed during the last ice age, when sea level was 100 meters lower than it is today. They were going to start life as a limestone cave, but when the sea water rose, it flooded and the roof collapsed. From this a sea cave arose.

Scientists have even discovered fossils of prehistoric creatures such as turtles and crocodiles implanted in similar holes. It is also known to be a bustling habitat for organisms including corals, sea turtles, and sharks, as well as a wealth of unique microbial life.

Let’s just hope they don’t find plastic trash in there.

with information from IFLScience

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