Scientists have encountered a peculiar phenomenon on the ocean floor that is leaving them baffled.
Discoveries on the seafloor have often stirred debates, from the mystical idea of Atlantis to ancient structures that challenge our understanding of history. However, the anomaly in the North Sea is not just intriguing but downright perplexing.
Geologists at the University of Manchester have identified a process called ‘sinkites,’ which occurs during stratigraphic inversion. This phenomenon, they claim, challenges fundamental geological principles.
These sinkites are characterized by sand-core mounds, formed when materials are unearthed and relocated.
Reverse stratigraphy, or stratigraphic inversion, is when younger seabed layers submerge beneath older ones, an action uncommon to this magnitude.
“This discovery reveals a geological process we haven’t seen before on this scale,” explained Mads Huuse, the lead author of the study.
“What we’ve found are structures where dense sand has sunk into lighter sediments that floated to the top of the sand, effectively flipping the conventional layers we’d expect to see and creating huge mounds beneath the sea.”
Typically, older layers settle at the base, and newer layers form sequentially above, aligning with the study published in Communications Earth & Environment.
Researchers suspect this inversion process occurred between the Miocene and Pliocene eras, approximately 5.3 million years ago.
Using 3-D seismic data, Huuse and geophysicist Jan Erik Rudjord from the oil company Aker BP in Norway identified these structures beneath the North Sea.
The data, which uses acoustic waves to assess material densities, revealed that significant portions of the seabed were turned upside down.
Younger, dense sand layers were found beneath older, softer layers, leading to a reversal where older layers were elevated as lighter layers sank below them.
The lighter sediment on top has been named ‘floatites’ by the researchers.
Currently, scientists are striving to gain a deeper understanding of the ocean floor and further explore this layer displacement process, which could provide valuable insights into energy and carbon sequestration.
“This research shows how fluids and sediments can move around in the Earth’s crust in unexpected ways. Understanding how these sinkites formed could significantly change how we assess underground reservoirs, sealing, and fluid migration – all of which are vital for carbon capture and storage,” Huuse explained.
“As with many scientific discoveries, there are many skeptical voices, but also many who voice their support for the new model.
“Time and yet more research will tell just how widely applicable the model is.”