Scientists Discover A Hidden Deep-Sea World Beneath The Arctic Ocean

Scientists have found a hidden world deep beneath the Arctic Ocean that is changing how we understand life in the deep sea and how carbon moves through the Earth. This newly discovered ecosystem lies far below the ocean surface, in complete darkness and freezing cold, yet it is full of life, reported Newsweek.

This discovery is considered significant because it impacts understanding global climate science and the question of whether minerals should be extracted from the Arctic seafloor. Its findings could help shape international policy decisions related to deep-sea mining and ocean conservation.

This unique ecosystem was identified by a team of scientists led by Juliana Panieri and Jonathan T Copley. The team discovered the deepest methane hydrate mounds ever discovered, named the Freya Mounds. These mounds are located on the Molloy Ridge of the Greenland Sea, under the Arctic Ocean, approximately 2.5 miles below the sea surface.

The research was published last month in the journal "Nature Communications" and was shared by UiT, The Arctic University of Norway. The study describes how gas hydrates, which are ice-like structures that contain methane, other gases, and crude oil, emerge directly from the Arctic seafloor.

These frozen structures support a rich world of deep-sea life. The organisms living here survive without sunlight and rely on chemical energy. International scientists used a remotely operated vehicle called Aurora to investigate this area. They observed cone-like mounds of frozen methane and oil, some up to six meters wide, and from which bubbles of gas were emanating.

Images taken by Aurora revealed amphipods and red caridean shrimp in the water surrounding these mounds. The expedition, conducted in May 2024, also uncovered chemical signatures, called oil fingerprints, that point to Miocene-era source rocks.

This ecosystem is believed to be the deepest gas hydrate seepage ever recorded. Previously, such seepages had only been recorded at depths of less than 2,000 meters. Sonar equipment onboard the ship also recorded huge plumes of methane-rich gas, rising to over 3,300 meters underwater and considered among the world's tallest gas flares.

More than 20 species were recorded around the mounds. These included dense clusters of Sclerolinum tube worms, as well as snails, amphipods, polychaete worms, and various crustaceans. All of these organisms live in complete darkness and near-zero temperatures.

This entire ecosystem is based on chemosynthesis. In this process, bacteria use methane and sulfide as energy, forming the foundation of the food chain. Chemical analysis confirmed that the main component of the gas is methane, while ethane, propane, and butane are also present, indicating that these gases originate deep within the Earth's crust.