Stories
Do you know about this mysterious river flowing deep inside the sea
- •While thousands of rivers flow on land, researchers have discovered unique currents flowing like a river deep beneath the ocean.
- •One such fascinating phenomenon exists near the mouth of the Congo River in the Atlantic Ocean.
- •High density water filled with clay, sand, and sediment flows downwards along the seabed slopes due to gravity.
- •These powerful underwater currents can travel at high speeds across the ocean floor and even damage submarine communication cables.
- •Although extreme pressure and darkness make human exploration difficult, scientists study these currents using advanced underwater vehicles and sensors.
Key Questions Answered
These are known in scientific language as 'Turbidity Currents', which are dense currents filled with clay, sand, and sediment. They form when water containing a high amount of particles becomes denser than the surrounding clean seawater and flows downwards along the seabed slope due to gravity.
A unique underwater current exists near the mouth of the Congo River in the Atlantic Ocean, where sediment-rich water moves forward into the depths of the sea through a vast valley called the Congo Canyon.
Researchers have found that sediment-rich currents in the Congo Canyon can travel at very high speeds across the seabed. Their flow is sometimes so powerful and severe that it can sweep away seabed sediment and damage communication cables laid under the sea.
