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Ocean Floor Reveals Eerie 'Yellow Brick Road'
15 Nov
Summary
- A 'yellow brick road' formation was found on the Pacific Ocean floor.
- Scientists identified it as a natural geological feature, not man-made.
- The formation is likely fractured volcanic rock altered by hydrothermal activity.
A research vessel exploring the Pacific Ocean floor has discovered a geological formation that bears a striking resemblance to a 'yellow brick road'. Located at a depth of 1,029 metres near Nootka Seamount within the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, the feature's regular, fractured pattern led to its unusual nickname.
Scientists aboard the E/V Nautilus expedition have identified the formation as natural, likely consisting of hyaloclastite, a type of volcanic rock. The yellow coloration is attributed to low-temperature hydrothermal alteration of volcanic glass, a process involving heated fluids interacting with the rock. This natural activity created the visually deceptive appearance of a constructed pathway.
The discovery was part of the Ocean Exploration Trust's 2022 field season, which documented numerous other deep-sea findings. These included extensive seafloor mapping, explorations of deep-sea coral and sponge communities, fossilized whale bones, a fossilized Megalodon tooth, and the first recorded observation of a sea pen in the genus Solumbellula in the Pacific.
