Hole in the Bottom of the Ocean , Could Signal Future Catastrophe.
Futurism reports that scientists have warned that
a hole in the bottom of the ocean may signal
an increased risk of earthquake activity in the area.
Researchers at the University of Washington said
that the seabed hole located off the coast of Oregon
sits atop the Cascadia Subduction Zone fault line.
'Pythias' Oasis,' named after a mythological
oracle, has fascinated scientists
since it was first discovered in 2015.
The hole in the ocean floor leaks
almost-fresh water up into the ocean. .
In research published in the journal 'Science Advances,'
researchers suggest that the relatively fresh water
may serve as a tectonic lubricant.
Without that watery lubricant,
the plate on which the hole sits could
potentially shift in a catastrophic way.
Loss of fluid from the offshore megathrust
interface through these strike-slip faults
is important, because it lowers the fluid
pressure between the sediment particles
and hence increases the friction between
the oceanic and continental plates, University of Washington statement, via Futurism.
Futurism reports that the UW team believes this is the first
known ocean floor leak of its kind, while suggesting that
others may exist nearby but have yet to be detected.
According to the team, the water leaking out
through the hole is warmer than the surrounding
ocean water by about 16 degrees Fahrenheit. .
The team suggests that "the fluid is coming straight from the Cascadia megathrust, where temperatures are an estimated 300 to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.".
The team suggests that "the fluid is coming straight from the Cascadia megathrust, where temperatures are an estimated 300 to 500 degrees Fahrenheit."