July 25, 2023
Scientists explain the "gravity hole" in the Indian Ocean - a region with weaker gravitational pull and lower mass - by proposing magma plumes akin to volcano formation. Simulations suggest this relates to an ancient ocean that once existed, unraveling the mystery behind this anomaly.
Earth's true shape is not a perfect sphere; it's an ellipsoid due to density variations. The mysterious "gravity hole" in the Indian Ocean, known as the Indian Ocean geoid low, remains unexplained despite its large size and significance, puzzling scientists for decades.
To explain the "gravity hole," researchers ran simulations tracing back 140 million years. Plumes of magma associated with the disappearance of an ancient ocean may be responsible for the anomaly in the Indian Ocean's geoid low. The simulations indicate how India's movement and ocean disappearance influenced the geoid formation.
The geoid low, formed around 20 million years ago, may persist or shift in the future. Its fate depends on how Earth's mass anomalies move over time, with possibilities of persistence or disappearance in hundreds of millions of years.
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