‘Gravity Hole’ In the Indian Ocean – and How It Originated – indiansupdate.com
The Indian Ocean is home to a mysterious anomaly known as the “gravity hole.” This area, which is located just off India’s southern coast, experiences a lower gravitational pull than the rest of the planet. This has led to a 328-foot (100-meter) dip in sea level, creating a circular depression that spans 1.2 million square miles (3 million square kilometers).
The existence of the gravity hole has been known for decades, but scientists have been puzzled as to what caused it. In a recent study, researchers from the Indian Institute of Science and GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences suggest that mantle plumes, similar to masses in the Earth’s mantle that create volcanoes, could be the cause of the IOGL.
Mantle plumes are hot, buoyant columns of magma that rise from the Earth’s mantle. As they rise, they melt the surrounding rock, creating a low-density region that causes the Earth’s crust to sink. This is what is believed to have happened in the Indian Ocean, where a series of mantle plumes rose up from the mantle and melted the surrounding rock, creating the gravity hole.
The study, which was published in the journal Nature Geoscience, used supercomputers to simulate the formation of the IOGL over 140 million years. The simulations showed that the mantle plumes would have caused a gradual sinking of the Earth’s crust, leading to the formation of the gravity hole.
The study’s findings provide a new explanation for the mysterious gravity hole in the Indian Ocean. More research, however, is required to support this notion.
Here are some other things we know about the gravity hole:
- It is the largest low-density anomaly in the Earth’s geoid.
- It is thought to have formed over 140 million years ago.
- It is located just off India’s southern coast, between Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
- It causes a 328-foot (100-meter) dip in sea level.
- It is thought to be caused by mantle plumes.
The gravity hole is a fascinating example of the Earth’s dynamic geology. It is a reminder that the planet is constantly changing, and that we are still learning about its many mysteries.