Cayman Trough facts for kids
The Cayman Trough (also known as the Cayman Trench, Bartlett Deep and Bartlett Trough) is the deepest part of the Caribbean Sea. It is located between Jamaica and the Cayman Islands and forms part of the tectonic boundary between the North American Plate and the Caribbean Plate. It extends from the Windward Passage on the southeastern side of Cuba toward Guatemala.
The relatively narrow trough runs east-northeast to west-southwest and has a maximum depth of 25,217 feet (7,686 m). The formation continues as the Motagua Fault on land. It cuts through Guatemala and extends into the Pacific Ocean, where it intersects the Middle America Trench subduction zone.
Researchers from the UK discovered hydrothermal vents on the ocean floor. In 2012, they announced that water exits the vents at possibly more than 842 °F (450 °C). They also announced the discovery of new species, including an eyeless shrimp with a light-sensing organ on its back.
Interesting facts about the Cayman Trough
- The Cayman Trough is long and narrow.
- It is home to some of the deepest and hottest hydrothermal vents in the world.
- The Cayman Trough could hold many answers to global deep-sea life, as it lays where an Atlantic and Pacific deep-sea connection used to be before North and South America joined.
- The pressure three miles deep at the bottom of the Trough - 500 times normal atmospheric pressure - is equal to the weight of a large family car pushing down on every square inch of the creatures that live there.
See also
In Spanish: Fosa de las Caimán para niños
