Thaindian News

By Ranjan Bhaduri
Apr 13, (THAINDIAN NEWS) The Caribbean Sea witnessed the discovery of the deepest undersea volcanic vent as a remote controlled submarine carried out a series of extensive explorations through the Cayman Trough. The hydrothermal vents are called “The Black Smokers”, owing to the presence of iron sulphide which is the chief cause for the black smokes gushing all the way towards the floor of the ocean. Before the discovery, the deepest undersea volcanic vent was said to be 2.6 miles below the surface of the sea.

Moving ahead the National Oceanography Centre team will make an attempt to carry out extensive studies on the marine life existing down at the Cayman Trough. They also have plans to study the climatic conditions and the animal habitat which is prevalent in the surrounding region. The geological evidences which are derived from the volcanic vent shall be helpful in determining the sources of the volcanic eruptions and also calculating the temperature of the torrid water which supports the marine life. The study of the existing life forms will be a major step and a contributing factor in determining several unknown factoids about Earth and its evolution.

Bramley Murton, the lead man geologist from NOC (National Oceanography Center), Southampton who headed the HyBIS underwater vehicle exploration was elated at the discovery. Reportedly, the very first vent of similar kind was discovered way back in the year of 1977 down the coastline of Ecuador at the Galapagos Rift. Besides the remote controlled HyBIS employed for the underwater exploration, the NOC researchers also sailed out the Autosub6000 which happens to be a highly sophisticated submarine which carried out extensive researches down at the Cayman Trough seafloor.