Deep Dive into the World’s Deepest Blue Hole: Taam Ja’ Blue Hole in Mexico
A recent study has confirmed that the Taam Ja’ Blue Hole in Mexico’s Chetumal Bay is the world’s deepest underwater sinkhole, with a depth of at least 420m. This discovery was made by anchoring a vessel near the hole and dropping a line in December 2023.
The Taam Ja’ Blue Hole, located off the southeast coast of Mexico, surpasses the Dragon Hole in the South China Sea, which has a bottom depth of 300m. The formation of blue holes is caused by water seeping through cracks below the seafloor and dissolving minerals, leading to the creation of sinkholes.
A previous study in 2021 believed that the Taam Ja’ Blue Hole was around 275m deep, but this new technology-assisted research has shown otherwise. The water within the hole was found to have various layers of temperature and salinity, with one layer at approximately 400m having values similar to those of the nearby Caribbean Sea.
This discovery raises questions about a possible connection between these two seas at an underwater seabed and holds potential for unexplored biodiversity and unique physicochemical and geomorphological processes. Researchers concluded that further exploration and study are necessary to understand this distinct biotope within its depths.
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