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Scientists map huge undersea fresh-water aquifer off U.S. Northeast
Posted on 6/22/19 at 8:51 pm
Posted on 6/22/19 at 8:51 pm
Date: June 21, 2019
Source: Earth Institute at Columbia University
Summary: In a new survey of the sub-seafloor off the U.S. Northeast coast, scientists have made a surprising discovery: a gigantic aquifer of relatively fresh water trapped in porous sediments lying below the salty ocean. It appears to be the largest such formation yet found in the world.
This stuff is really interesting!
The water probably got under the seabed in one of two different ways, say the researchers. Some 15,000 to 20,000 years ago, toward the end of the last glacial age, much of the world's water was locked up in mile-deep ice; in North America, it extended through what is now northern New Jersey, Long Island and the New England coast. Sea levels were much lower, exposing much of what is now the underwater U.S. continental shelf. When the ice melted, sediments formed huge river deltas on top of the shelf, and fresh water got trapped there in scattered pockets. Later, sea levels rose. Up to now, the trapping of such "fossil" water has been the common explanation for any fresh water found under the ocean.
Cool stuff from ScienceDaily
Source: Earth Institute at Columbia University
Summary: In a new survey of the sub-seafloor off the U.S. Northeast coast, scientists have made a surprising discovery: a gigantic aquifer of relatively fresh water trapped in porous sediments lying below the salty ocean. It appears to be the largest such formation yet found in the world.
This stuff is really interesting!
The water probably got under the seabed in one of two different ways, say the researchers. Some 15,000 to 20,000 years ago, toward the end of the last glacial age, much of the world's water was locked up in mile-deep ice; in North America, it extended through what is now northern New Jersey, Long Island and the New England coast. Sea levels were much lower, exposing much of what is now the underwater U.S. continental shelf. When the ice melted, sediments formed huge river deltas on top of the shelf, and fresh water got trapped there in scattered pockets. Later, sea levels rose. Up to now, the trapping of such "fossil" water has been the common explanation for any fresh water found under the ocean.
Cool stuff from ScienceDaily
Posted on 6/22/19 at 8:59 pm to Trumansfangs
Trapped Freshwater?
Is Joey up in NJ now?
Is Joey up in NJ now?
Posted on 6/23/19 at 8:15 am to Trumansfangs
If brought to the surface it would create a lake of 15,000 square miles. Probably not a very deep lake mind you but that has some size to it. They estimate 670 cubic miles of fresh water in there which is staggering to think about.
Posted on 6/23/19 at 10:05 am to Arksulli
quote:
They estimate 670 cubic miles of fresh water in there which is staggering to think about
Soooooooo, water crisis maybe averted?
Posted on 6/23/19 at 10:27 am to Arksulli
quote:
If brought to the surface it would create a lake of 15,000 square miles. Probably not a very deep lake mind you but that has some size to it. They estimate 670 cubic miles of fresh water in there which is staggering to think about.
15,000 sq miles at .044666666 miles deep= 670 cubic miles. .044666666 miles is almost 236 feet deep. That's pretty fricking deep, for a lake.
Posted on 6/23/19 at 11:05 am to MoarKilometers
quote:
15,000 sq miles at .044666666 miles deep= 670 cubic miles. .044666666 miles is almost 236 feet deep. That's pretty fricking deep, for a lake.
Hmmm. Big enough and deep enough to submerge California?
Posted on 6/23/19 at 1:30 pm to MoarKilometers
quote:
236 feet deep. That's pretty fricking deep, for a lake
236 feet isn't that deep if you consider lakes west of the Mississippi.
Posted on 6/23/19 at 1:57 pm to canyon critter
quote:
236 feet isn't that deep if you consider lakes west of the Mississippi.
Feel free to start naming large lakes with average depths greater than 236 feet not named Superior, Michigan, or Ontario anywhere in America. I literally checked the 20 largest. At 20th place we're down to 350 sq mile lakes vs this one of 15,000 sq miles. It's a lot of water regardless of where it's located.
Posted on 6/23/19 at 6:25 pm to MoarKilometers
quote:
Feel free to start naming large lakes with average depths greater than 236 feet not named Superior, Michigan, or Ontario anywhere in America. I literally checked the 20 largest. At 20th place we're down to 350 sq mile lakes vs this one of 15,000 sq miles. It's a lot of water regardless of where it's located.
I don’t remember you specifying a certain surface area requirement. There are hundreds of lakes in Montana alone that are several hundred feet deep, regardless of their surface area.
It’s still a lot of water though.
This post was edited on 6/23/19 at 6:34 pm
Posted on 6/24/19 at 3:03 pm to MoarKilometers
Lewis Smith Lake in Alabama, 264 feet.
Man-made lake.
Man-made lake.
This post was edited on 6/24/19 at 3:04 pm
Posted on 6/24/19 at 3:42 pm to canyon critter
Lake Tahoe is 1645 feet deep ? WTF ????
Posted on 6/24/19 at 4:04 pm to Trumansfangs
quote:
Lake Tahoe is 1645 feet deep ? WTF ????
2nd deepest us lake, behind crater lake. What's more staggering is its average depth at ~1000 ft. This aquifer would fill it 18.5 times though.
Posted on 6/25/19 at 1:44 pm to MoarKilometers
quote:
What's more staggering is its average depth at ~1000 ft.
There might be some big ole channel cats down there on the bottom. I'm not sure my trusty Zebco 202 has the line capacity to reach em though.
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