Title: Indian Scientists Unlock the Mystery of “Gravity Hole” in the Indian Ocean
(CNN) – Scientists from the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru, India, may have found the answer to the longstanding mystery of the “gravity hole” in the Indian Ocean. Utilizing advanced computer simulations dating back 140 million years, the researchers discovered a likely explanation for this anomaly: magma columns similar to those responsible for the creation of volcanoes.
“The Earth is basically a lumpy potato,” attests Attreyee Ghosh, co-author of the study and associate professor at the Indian Institute of Science’s Center for Earth Sciences. Ghosh further explains that the Earth’s uneven density and properties create areas of higher and lower density, which significantly affect the planet’s surface and gravity.
By running multiple simulations of tectonic plate shifts and the behavior of magma within the Earth’s mantle, the team identified six scenarios in which a low geoid similar to the gravity hole in the Indian Ocean formed. This finding led the researchers to attribute the formation of the gravity hole to the presence of magma plumes and nearby mantle structures.
The origin of these magma plumes traces back to the disappearance of an ancient ocean that existed between the Indian and Asian plates. As India shifted northward and eventually collided with Asia millions of years ago, the ocean vanished, and the descent of the oceanic plate into the mantle likely triggered the formation of the magma columns responsible for the gravity hole.
The team’s calculations estimate that the low geoid formed approximately 20 million years ago, but its future remains uncertain. Ghosh suggests that future plate movements may cause the gravity hole to disappear within hundreds of millions of years.
While the research raises interesting hypotheses, experts point out some flaws in the study’s execution. Huw Davies, a professor at Cardiff University, explains that further investigation is needed to verify the findings. Dr. Alessandro Forte, a geology professor at the University of Florida, highlights two issues with the study, including the lack of replication of previous mantle plume eruptions and discrepancies between the simulated geoid and actual observations.
Despite the limitations, Ghosh and his team maintain that their research offers a credible explanation for the formation of the gravity hole in the Indian Ocean. They acknowledge that certain factors may not have been accounted for in the simulations, but the general cause of the low geoid is believed to be well-defined.
As scientists continue to uncover the secrets of our planet, understanding anomalies like the gravity hole in the Indian Ocean contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of Earth’s geological history and its impact on the planet’s surface and gravity.