Brine Pool is a big area of brine in the ocean basin. Their pools are bodies of water that have salinity 3 to 5 times greater than the surrounding ocean. For deep-sea brine pools, the source of the salt is the dissolution of large salt deposits through salt tectonics. The Brine Pool quite often contains high concentrations of methane.
Furnishing energy to chemosynthetic animals that mostly live near the pool. These creatures are habitually extremophiles. Brine Pools can be found around the world, and are well-documented in the Gulf of Mexico. Moreover, Brine pools are also recognized to exist on the Antarctic Shelf where the source of brine is salt excluded during the formation of sea ice.
Therefore, deep-sea and Antarctic brine pools can be very toxic to marine animals. Brine pools are sometimes called seafloor “lakes” because the thick brine does not easily mix with overlying seawater. However, the brine density is increase due to high salinity, which produced a distinctive surface and shoreline for the pool. Hence, when submarines dive into brine pools, they float on the brine surface due to the high salinity density.
Though, the motion of a submarine can form waves across the brine-seawater interface that wash over the surrounding “shoreline”. Moreover, deep-sea brine pools every so often coincides with cold seep activity, and methane released by the seep is processed by bacteria. Which have a symbiotic connection with seep mussels living at the edge of the pool.
This ecosystem is mainly dependent on chemical energy. Unlike almost all other life on Earth, has slight dependence on energy from the Sun. So, finally, It requires a submersible to down thrust to actually penetrate one of these pools. This equipment, such as a submersible, can actually float on its surface.
Also Read: World’s Largest Man-Made Ice Tunnel in Langjokull Glacier, Iceland
Source: Wikipedia & Nautiluslive
The ROV Hercules hovers above the 25 meter wide brine pool approximately 4,200 feet down (1,300 meters) on the seafloor in the Gulf of Mexico -
The ROV Hercules hovers above the 25-meter wide brine pool approximately 4,200 feet down (1,300 meters) on the seafloor in the Gulf of Mexico –
The brine pool has its own shoreline, with minerals seeping over the edge and cascading down its sides -
Its own shoreline, with minerals seeping over the edge and cascading down its sides.
Not all creatures seem to know the rules, this isopod unfortunately explored to deep in and met his end. It does allow us to clearly see the surface of the pool,
Not all creatures seem to know the rules, this isopod unfortunately explored too deep in and met his end. It does allow us to clearly see the surface of the pool,
Crabs and fish will cautiously approach the brine pool, but seem to know not to get too close, as the water in the pool would be toxic to them.
Crabs and fish will cautiously approach the brine pool but seem to know not to get too close, as the water in the pool would be toxic to them.
Brine Pool is an underwater lake, with its own surface and shoreline.
Brine Pool is an underwater lake, with its own surface and shoreline.

 

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here