Which ocean is the 'oldest' in the world?
Which ocean is the 'oldest' in the world?
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest ocean in the world, and also the oldest, containing rock samples dating back about 200 million years.
The Pacific Ocean is the largest, deepest, and oldest ocean in the world. Photo: NOAA
The Pacific Ocean is the world's largest ocean with an area of 163 million square kilometers, large enough to fit all of the land on Earth, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The Mariana Trench, western Pacific Ocean, is the deepest oceanic trench on the planet with a depth of about 11,000 m. In addition, the Pacific Ocean is also the world's oldest ocean with rock samples dating back up to 200 million years, IFL Science reported on June 7.
The world's oceans are constantly changing as the tectonic plates in the Earth's crust shift. The Pacific Ocean is actually shrinking while the Atlantic Ocean is expanding in that direction. In the Pacific Ocean, there is an area known as the "Ring of Fire" due to the volcanic activity and strong earthquakes of the tectonic plates.
As the world's "oldest" ocean, it makes sense that the Pacific Ocean also contains extremely ancient seawater. According to the study, the oldest body of water in the North Pacific Ocean has been trapped in a "dark zone" deep below the surface for about 1,000 years.
However, it is still very young compared to some other salt water bodies. Remnants from the North Atlantic Ocean, an ancient body of water that lies beneath the Chesapeake Bay in an impact crater, formed 35 million years ago. Scientists think this body of water is about 100-145 million years old and has always been there, but was released when the asteroid hit, then became trapped below. This body of water is so ancient that it has twice the salinity of modern seawater.
Meanwhile, the world's oldest piece of oceanic crust that is still submerged today lies quietly under the Mediterranean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean. Believed to be about 340 million years old, this structure formed when magma (molten rock) rose up and then cooled. As it cools in the mid-ocean ridge, the minerals in the magma become magnetized, allowing researchers to detect the structure using magnetic sensors.
Thu Thao (According to IFL Science )
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