Facts for Prelims (FFP)
Source: TOI
Context: The Geological Institute of Israel has discovered a previously unknown underwater canyon near Cyprus, named Eratosthenes after the nearby underwater mountain.
- This canyon dates back to the Messinian Event approximately 5.5 million years ago.
- It measures about 10 kilometres wide and 500 meters deep and was formed during a period of decreased Mediterranean Sea levels and increased salinity, resulting in gravity currents and subsidence of the seabed.
This discovery sheds light on the environmental conditions during the Messinian event, also known as the Messinian salinity crisis, when the Mediterranean Sea experienced partial or nearly complete desiccation
A submarine canyon is a steep-sided valley that cuts into the continental slopes and rises of the ocean.
