scientists-uncover-mysterious-900-feet-blue-hole-in-mexico-origin-unknown

Off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, scientists have uncovered a colossal sinkhole, known as a blue hole, reaching depths of about 900 feet. This discovery ranks it as the second deepest blue hole found globally. These formations, found in various locations such as the Caribbean Sea and the Yucatán Peninsula, harbor unique ecosystems within them. 

 

Named Taam Ja', meaning "deep water" in Mayan, the massive underwater cavern spans approximately 13,660 square meters in the Chetumal Bay. Its nearly circular surface shape gives way to steep sides, forming a large conic structure adorned with biofilms, sediments, limestone, and gypsum ledges.

 

The researchers stated, "Monitoring of the temporal changes in the physicochemical and biological features inside the TJBH is needed to understand the possible variability in biogeochemical processes and to explore the water exchange with the surrounding estuary of Chetumal Bay." 

 

Researchers from the Department of Observation and Study of the Land, the Atmosphere, and the Ocean in Chetumal, Mexico, detailed their findings in Frontiers in Marine Science. Their exploration, involving echo-sounding, thermohaline profiling, chemical water analysis, and scuba diving, marks the first documentation of this geomorphological wonder.

 

Discovered in 2021, this blue hole presents an opportunity to study the evolution of marine life over millennia. Similar formations in the Caribbean have revealed bacteria thriving at extreme depths, hinting at unique evolutionary pathways.

 

Situated in the central portion of Chetumal Bay, where submerged coastal sinkholes, locally known as 'pozas,' are prevalent, the blue hole was explored extensively through scuba dives in September 2021. 

 

Researchers identified discontinuous terraces and steep, nearly vertical slopes within its depths.

 

Described as a north-skewed conical structure with a volume of approximately one million cubic meters, the blue hole boasts a maximum depth exceeding 270 meters below sea level, primarily concentrated on its northern side.