Surprise discovery of world's 2nd deepest blue hole could provide window into Earth's history

[Judi Lynn]

By Lydia Smith published about 9 hours ago

The second deepest blue hole in the world has been discovered off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. The giant, underwater cavern is around 900 feet deep and spans an area of 147,000 square feet.



Underwater images showing the second deepest blue hole in the world (Image credit: Alcérreca-Huerta et al/Frontiers in Marine Science)

The second deepest blue hole in the world has been discovered off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. The giant, underwater cavern, located in Chetumal Bay, is around 900 feet (274 meters) deep and spans an area of 147,000 square feet (13,660 square meters).

That's just shy of the record set by the world's deepest known blue hole — the Dragon Hole in the South China Sea — which was discovered in 2016 and is thought to be more than 980 feet (300 m) deep.

Blue holes are large, undersea vertical caves or sinkholes found in coastal regions. Many contain a high diversity of plant and marine life, including corals, sea turtles and sharks. The one in Chetumal, named Taam Ja’ which means "deep water" in Mayan, has steep sides with slopes of almost 80 degrees, and the mouth of the cavern sits around 15 feet (4.6 m) below sea level. Scientists from El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (Ecosur), a public research center coordinated by Mexico's National Council of Science and Technology (Conacyt), first discovered it in 2021. A study of the find was published Feb. 23 in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science(opens in new tab).



3D map showing the world's second deepest known blue hole, which sits off the coast of the Yucatán Peninsula. (Image credit: Alcérreca-Huerta et al/Frontiers in Marine Science)

More:
https://www.livescience.com/planet-earth/surprise-discovery-of-worlds-2nd-deepest-blue-hole-could-provide-window-into-earths-history

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"Exploring the Depths: Newly Discovered Taam Ja' Blue Hole in Chetumal Challenges Belize's Great Blue Hole for Dominance"

Wed, 03/08/2023 - 20:42

https://www.nationalperspectivebz.com/2023-03-08/exploring-depths-newly-discovered-taam-ja-blue-hole-chetumal-challenges-belizes-great

[Judi Lynn]

1. From 2016: Researchers just discovered the world's deepest underwater sinkhole in the South China Se

Researchers just discovered the world’s deepest underwater sinkhole in the South China Sea

By Katie Mettler
July 26, 2016 at 5:13 a.m. EDT



China says it's discovered the world's deepest salt water blue hole in a disputed area of the South China Sea. (Video: Reuters)

As local fishermen tell it, the deep blue “Dragon Hole” in the Paracel Islands, called the “eye” of the South China Sea, is where the Monkey King in “Journey to the West” acquired his famous golden cudgel.

The mythical tale was published in the 16th century and is among the four great classical novels of Chinese literature. Last week, the Dragon Hole earned a new claim to fame.

Link to tweet

After nearly a year of exploration, Chinese researchers have determined that the underwater sinkhole is likely the world’s deepest, reaching about 987 feet below the surface and surpassing the previous record holder, Dean’s Blue Hole near the Bahamas, by more than 300 feet, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Blue holes are named as such for their rich, dark blue coloring, a stark contrast to the otherwise aqua waters that surround them. Best described as underwater caves, these striking and beautiful formations open up with underwater entrances and extend below sea level, mirroring the appearance of a sinkhole.

More:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/07/26/researchers-just-discovered-the-worlds-deepest-underwater-sinkhole-in-the-south-china-sea/

Or:
https://archive.ph/jXCx5

[Alexander Of Assyria]

2. The South China Sea hole was discovered centuries ago, measured recently.

So the discovery is not of the Dragon Hole, which is before America existed, it’s the depth of the Dragon?

[Judi Lynn]

3. Had always imagined the huge blue hole near Mexico was the world's largest

until reading this article today, learning there's one larger, so I found an article to post concerning China's larger blue hole immediately after the first, in case other people had jumped to the wrong conclusion, also.