Giant underwater avalanche decimated Atlantic seafloor 60k years ago
Researchers mapped a 60,000-year-old underwater avalanche in the Agadir Canyon, revealing it expanded over 100 times and traveled 1,000 miles, posing risks to underwater infrastructure like internet cables.
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Researchers have successfully mapped a significant underwater avalanche that occurred in the Agadir Canyon off the coast of Morocco approximately 60,000 years ago. This avalanche began as a minor seafloor slide but escalated into a massive flow of sediment and boulders, reaching heights of 660 feet and speeds of 40 mph. The study, published in the journal Science Advances, reveals that the avalanche expanded over 100 times its original size as it traveled through the canyon and continued for an additional 1,000 miles along the Atlantic seabed. The researchers utilized over 300 core samples and various geological data to create a detailed map of the avalanche's path, which covered an area equivalent to the size of Oregon with more than 3 feet of sediment. This mapping is unprecedented for underwater avalanches of this magnitude. The findings highlight the potential geohazard risks posed by such events to underwater infrastructure, including internet cables, which could be severely impacted by similar future occurrences.
- A giant underwater avalanche occurred in the Agadir Canyon 60,000 years ago.
- The avalanche expanded over 100 times in size, traveling 1,000 miles along the seabed.
- Researchers created a detailed map of the avalanche using sediment data and core samples.
- The event poses potential risks to underwater infrastructure, such as internet cables.
- This study is the first to map an individual underwater avalanche of this scale.
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