A Deep-Sea Ecosystem Discovered Off the Coast of Greenland 0 9

Off the coast of Greenland, at a depth of more than 3.6 kilometers, scientists have discovered a unique ecosystem formed around massive hills of crystallized methane. This is stated in a study published in Scientific American.

These are the so-called Freya hydrate hills — located in the Arctic Ocean. The structures consist of frozen gases and act as a kind of "frozen reefs." They provide a refuge for deep-sea organisms that are adapted to extreme conditions, such as low temperatures, complete darkness, and high pressure.

The discovery was made during the Ocean Census Arctic Deep–EXTREME24 expedition, which utilized underwater robots. Researchers recorded the deepest known gas hydrate formations to date — at a depth of 3640 meters. Additionally, it was established that methane plumes are emitted from the hills, rising to a height of up to 3300 meters in the water column. This figure is a record for such structures.