Font size:
Print
Dark Oxygen
Context:
The study published in the journal Nature Geoscience reveals that dark oxygen was discovered 4,000 metres (13,000 feet) below the surface in the Pacific Ocean’s Clarion-Clipperton Zone. This depth is nearly half the height of Mount Everest.
Do You Know?
Landers, a mechanical platform that can free-fall to the bottom of the seafloor, were sent down 4,000 metres (13,000 feet) to track how oxygen levels in the water decreased with depth.
Dark Oxygen:
-
- It refers to oxygen produced by coal-like polymetallic nodules rich in manganese and iron, found in the CCZ of the Pacific Ocean.
- This process occurs in complete darkness, where photosynthesis, the traditional source of oxygen, is not possible.
Mechanism of Oxygen Production:
-
- The oxygen production is linked to the electrochemical properties of the polymetallic nodules, which contain metals like manganese, nickel, and cobalt.
- These nodules act similarly to batteries, facilitating a process called seawater electrolysis that splits water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen.
- This mechanism was confirmed through laboratory tests, revealing that these nodules can generate enough voltage to produce oxygen in absence of light.
Significance of the Discovery:
- This finding challenges the long-held belief that photosynthetic organisms, such as plants and algae, are primary sources of oxygen on Earth.
- The study suggests that mineral deposits known as polymetallic nodules can generate oxygen independently of sunlight.
- It prompts inquiries into origins of life on Earth, suggesting that aerobic life forms may have existed prior to the development of photosynthesis.
- A comparable event was observed during fieldwork in 2013.
- Researchers were examining sea-floor ecosystems in the Clarion–Clipperton Zone, an area that is a potential target for mining metal-rich nodules.
Implications for Life and Mining:
- The implications of this research extend beyond understanding Earth’s oxygen sources.
- It also suggests that similar processes could occur on other planets, potentially supporting life in extreme environments.
- Additionally, it raises concerns regarding deep-sea mining practices, as extracting these nodules can disrupt a crucial oxygen source for deep-sea ecosystems.