This summer, scientists drilled beneath the Atlantic off the U.S. Northeast and uncovered a vast, little-known freshwater reservoir — a finding that could hold major implications for a world grappling with a worsening water crisis.
Freshwater beneath the Atlantic has been known for decades but left mostly unexplored. In the 1960s and 1970s, research expeditions and oil drilling operations occasionally came across it.
Then, in 2019, scientists from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and Columbia University reported a “surprising discovery.”
Mapping a Hidden Freshwater Reservoir Beneath the Atlantic
Using electromagnetic waves, researchers mapped a massive reservoir of freshwater beneath the ocean, stretching roughly 500 kilometers from Massachusetts to New Jersey — and possibly beyond.
At the time, they called it “the largest formation of its kind ever found.”
The discovery sparked major questions: How did it form? How old is the water? Is it being replenished? And most importantly, could such coastal aquifers serve as a new freshwater resource for a thirsty world?
This reservoir off the U.S. coast is thought to be just one of many hidden beneath the world’s oceans.
An international team of scientists with Expedition 501 set out to find answers by drilling directly into the aquifer.
Drilling Deep Beneath the Seafloor to Unlock Secrets
In May, they left Bridgeport, Connecticut, aboard a drill-equipped research vessel. For three months, they drilled 300–400 meters below the seafloor, collecting sediment and water samples.
They found low-salinity water, close to U.S. and international drinking standards. It’s now undergoing lab tests to identify the microbes it holds and assess its safety for consumption.
Another key question is the water’s age. It could be anywhere from 200 to 20,000 years old, said Brandon Dugan, a geophysics professor at the Colorado School of Mines and an expedition leader.
If the water is relatively young, it suggests the reservoir replenishes; if much older, it may represent a limited, non-renewing supply. Dugan expects results in about six months.
Scientists will also test its origin — whether from glacial melt or rainfall.
Ancient Origins of the Hidden Freshwater Reservoir
“We believe freshwater flowed in thousands of years ago, when lower sea levels exposed the continental shelf,” said Holly Michael, a University of Delaware Earth sciences and engineering professor on the expedition.
Determining the aquifers’ origins will show “how these systems evolved over time,” said Professor Dugan. Scientists could then apply this knowledge to other regions with offshore freshwater reserves, including Indonesia, Australia, and South Africa.
It will also shed light on how such underwater resources are shifting with global sea level rise — whether they are expanding or diminishing.
The aquifer identified by the expedition appears immense, said Eric Attias, an assistant research professor at the University of Texas at Austin’s Jackson School of Geosciences, who was not part of the study.
It may “contain enough freshwater to supply a city the size of New York for hundreds of years,” he told CNN, offering hope it could “ease shortages for coastal populations in the future.”
Nearly half the global population lives within 60 miles of a coast, and many depend on land-based aquifers — resources that overuse rapidly drains and climate change threatens with sea-level rise and groundwater contamination.
Offshore Aquifers as a Future Alternative to Desalination
“In the future, coastal water supplies will face even greater stress,” said Michael, noting that communities may increasingly turn to costly options such as desalination. Offshore aquifers could provide an alternative.
Challenges remain: extracting and transporting the water costs heavily, questions about management and funding persist, and contamination proves difficult to prevent.“Offshore groundwater will be expensive and limited,” Michael said. “Protecting land-based freshwater is best, but exploring alternatives is still important.”
Dugan remains optimistic. “All the pieces are there,” he said, “it’s just a matter of time.” He expects scientists will fully explore underwater aquifers within about a decade.
Findings in the months ahead could have worldwide significance. Evidence points to underground freshwater reserves on every continent, Dugan noted. “What we’ve learned from this small area in New England can help us understand similar regions elsewhere.”
Read the original article on: Cnn Brasil
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