(Newser)
– Scientists are searching for an undiscovered phenomenon within a 425-foot “blue hole” off the Florida coast. Little is known about these holes, which are similar to sunken holes in land and are “scattered across the continental shelf of the Florida Gulf” but very difficult to access, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. What is known is that they are incredibly biologically diverse, and contain species from corals to sharks. A 2019 search for a 350-foot deep blue hole known as the “Amberjack Hole”, about 30 miles from Sarasota, found an “otherwise sterile seafloor oasis” that includes two small dead sawfish, one endangered species, says NOAA. Scientists will now explore this deeper blue hole, which is 155 feet below the surface of the Florida Gulf Coast, over the course of a year, reports ABC News.
The expedition into the blue hole called “Green Banana” begins in August and involves scientists from the Mote Marine Laboratory, Florida Atlantic University, the Georgia Institute of Technology and the United States Geological Society. In addition to searching for various life forms, scientists are interested in knowing if the hole is connected to Florida’s groundwater. “The chemistry of seawater in holes is unique and appears to interact with groundwater,” says NOAA. Divers will descend into the mouth and take samples using a “benthic lander”, a 600-pound three-legged structure on which scientific instruments are mounted, for Popular Mechanics. NOAA says the hourglass shape of the hole will pose a challenge to sampling. (The deepest known blue hole could almost swallow the Eiffel Tower.)
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