:quality(85)/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-infobae.s3.amazonaws.com/public/RDCEXZFEPJHX7GP2NVAJXIGOCI "The Atlantic Ocean could be absorbed by a ring of fire and disappear, scientists revealed")
Recent Study Warns Atlantic Ocean Could Eventually Disappear Due to Developing Subduction Zone Under Strait of Gibraltar
Scientists have issued a warning that the Atlantic Ocean could one day disappear entirely, as a developing subduction zone under the Strait of Gibraltar threatens to absorb the vast body of water. The subduction zone, known as the ‘Ring of Fire’, could expand westward and eventually cause the closure of the Atlantic Ocean.
The main researcher behind this alarming prediction is João Duarte from the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon. Using advanced computer modeling, Duarte and his team traced the development of the subduction zone under the Strait of Gibraltar since the Oligocene period and projected its future expansion. They estimate that within the next 20 million years, the Atlantic Ocean could undergo a major transformation.
The findings of this study, published in the journal Geology, provide evidence that subduction – a geological process where one tectonic plate slides beneath another – is beginning to occur in the Atlantic. “We have good reasons to think that the Atlantic is beginning to close,” Professor Duarte explained to the Daily Mail.
The subduction zone beneath the Strait of Gibraltar, currently relatively small at about 200 kilometers in length and 560 kilometers in depth, is expected to grow significantly, reaching a size of around 800 kilometers in the future. This phenomenon not only has geological implications but also raises concerns about the seismic potential of the region.
The history of seismic activity in the area, including the devastating Lisbon Earthquake of 1755, serves as a reminder of the destructive power of earthquakes in regions with active subduction zones. The study also highlights how a subduction zone beginning in a closing ocean can migrate towards an opening ocean through a narrow ocean corridor, suggesting a fundamental process in the geological evolution of the Earth.
The future of the Atlantic Ocean remains uncertain as researchers continue to monitor the development of the subduction zone under the Strait of Gibraltar and its potential impact on the vast body of water.