Puerto Rico Trench
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The Puerto Rico Trench is located on the boundary between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The oceanic trench, the deepest in the Atlantic, is associated with a complex transition between the Lesser Antilles subduction zone to the south and the major transform fault zone or plate boundary, which extends west between Cuba and Hispaniola through the Cayman Trough to the coast of Central America.
The trench is 800 kilometres (497 mi) long
Scientific studies have concluded that an earthquake occurring along this fault zone could generate a significant tsunami.[10] The island of Puerto Rico, which lies immediately to the south of the fault zone and the trench, suffered a destructive tsunami soon after the 1918 San Fermín earthquake.
Geology
The Puerto Rico Trench is located at a boundary between two
Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, and the Dominican Republic do not have active volcanoes; however, they are at risk from earthquakes and tsunamis. The Puerto Rico Trench has produced earthquakes greater than magnitude 8.0 and is considered capable of continuing to do so.[11][12]
According to NASA, beneath the trench is a mass so dense it deflects gravitational pull on the surface of the ocean, causing it to dip somewhat. It also has a negative effect on the accuracy of navigational instruments.[13]
Public awareness
Knowledge of the earthquake and tsunami risks has not been widespread among the general public of the islands located near the trench. Since 1988, the Puerto Rican Seismic Society has been trying to use the Puerto Rican media to inform people about a future earthquake that could result in a catastrophic tragedy.
Following the
Seismicity
On 11 October 1918, the western coast of Puerto Rico was hit by a major earthquake which caused a tsunami. The 1918 earthquake was caused by an old left-lateral strike-slip fault near the Mona Passage. In 1953, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, was affected by the Santo Domingo earthquake. The actual subduction zone (Puerto Rico Trench) has not ruptured in over 200 years, which is a major concern to geophysicists, as they believe it may be due for a major event.
Puerto Rico has always been an area of concern to earthquake experts because, apart from the 1918 episode, there are frequent tremors in and around the island, indicating activity. A 1981 tremor was felt across the island, while another in 1985 was felt in the towns of Cayey and Salinas.
The January 13, 2014 M 6.4 earthquake north of Puerto Rico occurred as a result of oblique-thrust faulting. Preliminary faulting mechanisms for the event indicate it ruptured either a structure dipping shallowly to the south and striking approximately east-west, or a near-vertical structure striking northwest-southeast. At the location of this earthquake, the North America plate moves west-southwest with respect to the Caribbean plate at a velocity of approximately 20 mm/yr, and subducts beneath the Caribbean plate at the Puerto Rico Trench. The location, depth and mechanism of the earthquake are consistent with the event occurring on this subduction zone interface."[15]
Location[14] | Year | M |
---|---|---|
Puerto Rico Trench | 8.1
| |
Anegada Trough | 7.5
| |
Mona Canyon | 1918 |
7.5
|
Mona Canyon | 1943 |
7.5
|
Dominican Republic | 8.1
| |
Dominican Republic | 1953 |
6.9
|
Puerto Rico Trench | 2014 |
6.4
|
Puerto Rico Trench | 2019 |
6.0
|
Muertos Trough | 6.4
|
Exploration
Several exploration cruises carried out by
The seafloor was visited for the first time by French bathyscaphe
Two
Crewed descent
The American explorer
was used instead.The operating area was surveyed by the support ship, the Deep Submersible Support Vessel
See also
References
- ^ NOAA Ocean Exploration. "Mission Plan". Oceano Profundom 2015: Exploring Puerto Rico’s Seamounts, Trenches, and Troughs. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
- ^ "Atlantic Ocean". Five Deeps Expedition. Archived from the original on 2020-04-13. Retrieved 2020-01-24.
- from the original on 2021-09-27. Retrieved 2020-01-24 – via ResearchGate.
- ^ a b "Exploring the Deepest Points on Planet Earth". hydro-international.com. Archived from the original on 2020-01-09. Retrieved 2020-01-24.
- ^ from the original on 2020-01-24. Retrieved 2020-01-24.
- ^ a b Raza, Azra (2019-11-10). "The last of the great explorers". 3 Quarks Daily. Archived from the original on 2020-01-24. Retrieved 2020-01-24.
- ^ "Technology". Archived from the original on 2018-12-23. Retrieved 2018-12-22.
- ^ Dean, Josh (2018-12-21). "An inside look at the first solo trip to the deepest point of the Atlantic". Popular Science. Archived from the original on 2019-12-09. Retrieved 2018-12-22.
- ^ "Deep Dive 1 Atlantic Ocean PUERTO RICO TRENCH". fivedeeps.com. Archived from the original on March 26, 2019. Retrieved May 13, 2019.
- ^ ten Brink, Uri. "Puerto Rico Trench 2003: Cruise Summary Results". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived from the original on 2013-07-24. Retrieved 2011-09-11.
- ^ "Earthquakes and Tsunamis in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands" (PDF). USGS. April 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 January 2020. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
USGS Fact Sheet FS–141–00
- ^ "Major Caribbean Earthquakes And Tsunamis A Real Risk". ScienceDaily. 8 February 2005. Archived from the original on 11 January 2020. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
The Puerto Rico Trench, which is capable of producing earthquakes of magnitude 7 to 8 or greater
- LCCN 73608969. NASA SP-250.
Beneath this 5-mile-deep trough lies a mysterious mass so dense it deflects the pull of gravity, causes the ocean surface to dip a measurable amount, and throws navigators off course by falsifying the readings of their instruments.
- ^ a b "Earthquakes and Tsunamis in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands" (PDF). U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 141-00. April 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2019-06-29. Retrieved 2011-09-11.
- ^ "M6.4 - 57km N of Hatillo, Puerto Rico, Earthquake Hazard Program, 2014-01-13 04:01:04 UTC, USGS". Archived from the original on 2017-09-06. Retrieved 2017-09-10.
- .
- Popular Science Monthly. Vol. 185, no. 2. p. 42. Archivedfrom the original on 2021-09-27. Retrieved 2018-12-23.
- ^ Søreide, Fredrik (December 2012). "Ultradeep-Sea Exploration In the Puerto Rico Trench". Sea Technology. Vol. 53, no. 12. p. 54. Archived from the original on 2016-04-13. Retrieved 2019-12-08.
- ^ Lacey, Nichola C.; Jamieson, Alan J.; Søreide, Fredrik (March 2013). "Successful Capture of Ultradeep Sea Animals From the Puerto Rico Trench". Sea Technology. Vol. 54, no. 3. pp. 19–21. Archived from the original on 2016-04-16.
- ^ Brueck, Hilary (2018-12-20). "A $48 million submarine just took a record-breaking dive into the deepest corner of the Atlantic Ocean — 27,840 feet down". Business Insider. Archived from the original on 2019-12-09. Retrieved 2018-12-21.
- ^ "The Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 Project". Archived from the original on 2019-06-16. Retrieved 2019-06-20.
- ^ "Major partnership announced between The Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 Project and The Five Deeps Expedition". gebco.net. 11 March 2019. Archived from the original on 2019-06-19. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
- ^ "Home". fivedeeps.com. Archived from the original on January 11, 2019. Retrieved January 9, 2019.
- ^ Hydro International.com (18 June 2019). "Exploring the Deepest Points on Planet Earth". hydro-international.com. Archived from the original on 20 June 2019. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
External links
- Mapping of the Puerto Rico Trench, the Deepest Part of the Atlantic, is Nearing Completion – United States Geological Survey
- Workshop Addresses Tsunami Hazard to Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Other Caribbean Islands – United States Geological Survey
- Caribbean Tsunami and Earthquake Hazards Studies – Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center
- Latest Significant Earthquakes – Puerto Rico Seismic Network
- Promare – Promare - Promoting Marine Research and Exploration