World’s Deepest Blue Hole Discovered In Yucatan Peninsula
The Taam Ja’ Blue Hole (TJBH), outside the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico and Belize, has attracted explorers and scientists.
TJBH stretches at least 1,380 feet (420 m) below sea level, roughly the height of Chicago’s Trump Tower.
The discovery breaks the previous record set by the Sansha Yongle Blue Hole in the South China Sea.
Blue holes are vertical marine caves built over thousands of years by glacial runoff during the Ice Age.
These huge sinkholes have great marine biodiversity and offer insights into the planet’s geological history.
Without the right equipment and training, diving into blue holes can be dangerous due to a lack of oxygen and the presence of hydrogen and sulphide gas.
The TJBH was first measured in 2021, but technological developments in the last few years have made more precise measurements possible.
Researchers used a conductivity, temperature, and depth (CTD) profiler to collect detailed data on the blue hole’s dimensions and features.
The gadget can reach depths of 1640 feet; it stopped at 1380 feet, possibly due to underwater currents or geological formations.
The hydrographic data obtained at the TJBH provided interesting insights into water temperature, salinity, and density.