Bermuda Triangle's Mystery Solved? Scientists Discover Hidden Rock Layer Underground | What It Means

Talking about the mysteries around the globe, the Bermuda Triangle have always secured a top position in the priority list. Known for its tales about ships and planes mysteriously vanishing, it has fueled conspiracy theories about supernatural forces, alien abductions, and even time travel. 

The section of the Atlantic Ocean, bounded by Miami, Bermuda and Puerto Rico, has always been surrounded by myths, questions and mysteries, but now a group of American scientists claim they have the answer. 

The Hidden Geologic Structure Behind Bermuda

According to a new study by seismologist William Frazer (Carnegie Science) and Jeffrey Park (Yale University), Bermuda is supported by a hidden geologic structure deep below the island that may explain why Bermuda still rises above the Atlantic Ocean more than 30 million years after its volcanoes went quiet. 

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Normally, volcanic islands are created above mantle plumes. These plumes are very big, hot rock formations that travel up from Earth's deep interior to cause bulges on the seafloor, upon which volcanic islands form. After millions of years, these bulges usually flatten out when volcanic activity ceases, and tectonic plates move away from the plume. Bermuda's volcanic structure is said to be quite unusual, as it did not follow this typical progression.

Presently, Bermuda sits upon a huge underwater bulge that is about 1,600 feet higher than the ocean floor around it, but the island provides no evidence of active mantle plumes beneath it. This puzzling question had long befuddled geologists.

To find the cause of the anomaly, scientists have analysed seismic waves produced by large earthquakes around the world. Seismic waves change speed depending on the kind of rock and material it travels through. Seismic wave data that was taken from stations on Bermuda was used to build a model of the underground structure, located approximately 20 miles beneath the island.

What the Research Found

A large rock layer estimated at over 12 miles thick was discovered buried under the oceanic crust. However, compared to the surrounding mantle, this unique underground layer is lighter and more buoyant. Thus, the scientists speculate that Bermuda is not propped up by a plume from beneath, but rather by a lighter structure lying under it.

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It is suggested that the "underplating" layer was formed over 1 million years ago, when a rich, molten mixture of rock flowed beneath the crust and began to cool when Bermuda was a volcanic island. It is even speculated that these formations may have emerged as far back as hundreds of millions of years ago, with the ancient supercontinent, Pangaea.

According to Dr Frazer, "Bermuda is an exciting place to study because a variety of its geologic features do not fit the model of a mantle plume, the classic way for deep material to be brought to the surface.

"This suggests that there are other convective processes within Earth's mantle that have yet to be well understood."

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