New canyon system found near Kovvada, Andhra Pradesh

Scientists for the first time have discovered three new canyons close to Kovvada in Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh.
This discovery was made by team of scientists from CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) in Visakhapatnam. These three canyons together form a major canyon system in the depths of the Bay of Bengal.

Key Facts

• This discovery was made by clearly mapping the ocean floor between Visakhapatnam and Srikakulam by sending over 32 high density beams to the depths of the sea.
• Canyon systems are generally formed by the flow of river water into the sea and they could be as old as the river system, which is close to 23 million years.
• The new canyon system was probably formed by river Kandivalasa. It is very huge and its depth varies from about 90 metres at the starting point to about 2,500 metres at the deepest point. It extends to about 50 to 70 km deep into the sea.
• The last canyon systems off the Visakhapatnam coast were discovered in 1963 by American geologist E.C. LaFond of the US Navy Electronics Laboratory. The data was collected on board research ship Anton Bruun.
• Most of the canyons in the ocean system across the world act as channels for depositing sediments from the river in the shelf region. There are more chances of finding hydro-carbons if the deposits are more.

Month: Current Affairs - March, 2017