Washington [US], December 15: Scientists have discovered a bizarre and enormous structure deep beneath Bermuda in the Atlantic Ocean, unlike anything else on Earth.
Bermuda , a island renowned for its myths and mysterious stories, has just revealed a geological phenomenon that could change how people view the island's history.
A new report published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters has discovered a geological structure up to 20 kilometers thick lying deep beneath the oceanic crust. This discovery challenges our understanding of Bermuda's formation and may explain why the island is located in such an unusual position in the Atlantic Ocean.
Geological anomalies beneath Bermuda
Bermuda's unique geological features have long attracted the attention of scientists, but a recent discovery has presented an entirely new mystery. Beneath Bermuda lies a massive layer of rock, up to 20 kilometers thick, unlike anywhere else on Earth.
Using state-of-the-art seismic imaging technologies, researchers from the Carnegie Science Center and Yale University (both in the US) have explored the hidden structures beneath the oceanic crust and within the tectonic plates on which Bermuda sits.
The report's author, William Frazer of the Carnegie Institution for Science, explains: "In other places on Earth, there would initially be the oceanic crust beneath the seabed, followed by the mantle, but in Bermuda there is another layer of rock beneath the crust, and within the very tectonic plate on which Bermuda rests."
The new discovery raises questions about the island's geological history and the processes that led to the formation of this massive rock layer.
The legendary mystery of Bermuda
Bermuda's location, situated on a seabed unusually elevated compared to surrounding areas, has long been a perplexing mystery for scientists for decades. Typically, elevated seabeds are associated with volcanic activity .
However, Bermuda's most recent volcanic eruption occurred over 31 million years ago. The question then arises: what shaped Bermuda's topography despite the lack of recent volcanic activity?
The newly identified rock formation may offer an answer to the above question. Researchers believe that the rock structure is the remnant of past volcanic activity, and is likely the reason why Bermuda's elevation remains high despite the absence of volcanic eruptions.
The new report also suggests that Bermuda's geological history is quite different from that of other volcanic islands, such as those in the Pacific or Indian Ocean.
Unlike these islands, Bermuda's volcanic history may be linked to the ancient supercontinent Pangea, which began breaking apart approximately 300 million years ago.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
