Strange holes discovered at the ocean's depths: Scientists voice their concerns

Scientists from the University of Washington have recently identified strange holes at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, where the Cascadia fault is located. A discovery that forebodes grim outcomes…

While exploring the area, scientists stumbled upon a surprising phenomenon at the Pacific's depths, a finding they documented in a study published in the journal Science Advances. As deep-sea geologist Evan Solomon indicates, this is a “never-before-seen phenomenon!"

The Cascadia Fault, a high-risk area

Holes have been discovered at the Cascadia Fault, from which a warm fluid that is far from trivial emerges, reports the media Demotivateur. The Cascadia Fault has been monitored for years due to its dangerousness, stretching from Vancouver Island to northern California, where the Juan de Fuca plate plunges under the North American plate.

While it's true that the Earth contains numerous hot springs, the emissions from these hole formations particularly concern researchers. “Methane bubbles and even water erupting from the seabed like a fire hose,” highlights Evan Solomon in a press release. Whereas, generally, the hot water reservoir serves a lubricating role between two plates, reducing the degree of friction between the rocks, the issue with these holes is that the hot water is emerging and escaping, making the lubrication less effective.

Earthquake and tsunamis

If the fluid pressure were to decrease, the two plates might lock, informs Demotivateur. The consequences of such a locking would be dramatic: pressure would intensify as it accumulates and would cause a major earthquake, with a magnitude of 9. This would then be followed by several tsunamis, potentially reaching 30 meters high. It's precisely for this reason that the Cascadia Fault is under close surveillance. The identification of the holes under the Pacific only confirms and heightens scientists' fears.

By way of reminder, the last earthquake recorded in this subduction zone dates back to the year 1700.

(MH with Raphaël Liset - Source: Demotivateur - Illustration: ©Unsplash)