‘Dark’ oxygen found in sunlight-free region 13,000 feet below sea level

Ocean scientist Andrew Sweetman noticed a strange phenomenon in the remote Pacific Ocean. He initially thought something was wrong with his monitoring equipment. His sensors indicated oxygen production at a depth of 13,100 feet on the ocean floor without sunlight, CNN reports.

Professor Sweetman instructed his students to send the sensors back to the manufacturer for testing, as they were producing “ambiguous” results. However, the manufacturer consistently confirmed that the sensors were working and were calibrated correctly.

While assessing marine biodiversity in a potential mining area, Sweetman unexpectedly noticed that “dark” oxygen was being produced on the sea floor. The area contains polymetallic nodules. These have formed over millions of years through chemical processes involving shell fragments, squid beaks and shark teeth, the publication says.

Photosynthetic organisms such as plants, plankton and algae use sunlight to produce oxygen. Then, it cycles into the depths of the ocean. Previous deep-sea studies have shown that organisms there only consume oxygen and do not produce it.

However, recent research by Sweetman’s team has challenged this notion, finding oxygen production without photosynthesis. He said such unexpected findings would need to be carefully considered.

The initial experiment, conducted in 2013, did not convince Sweetman that oxygen was being produced on the sea floor. However, in 2021, using a backup method that yielded the same results, he realized that oxygen was indeed being produced there and decided to investigate further.

Origin of life

Sweetman explained that understanding oxygen production on the sea floor can provide information about the origin of life. He said life may have evolved at hydrothermal vents in the deep sea. CNN quoted him as saying that finding out that seawater electrolysis can produce oxygen in the deep sea could provide new insights into how life began on Earth.

“I hope this is the start of something amazing,” he said.

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Published: July 23, 2024, 01:59 PM IST