Taam Ja Blue hole

About Blue Hole:

• What it is? It is a type of underwater sinkhole or vertical cave that is typically found in low-lying coastal karst platform regions.
• These are formed when limestone or other carbonate rock is dissolved by slightly acidic groundwater over a long period.
• Features of Taam Ja Blue hole
• It is around 900 feet deep and scientists have dubbed it the second-deepest blue hole found on the planet.
• It has a nearly circular shape at its surface with steep sides that form a large conic structure covered by biofilms, sediments, limestone, and gypsum ledges.
• It was found in the central portion of Chetumal Bay, where submerged coastal karstic sinkholes locally named ‘pozas’ have been reported.
• A series of discontinuous terraces were detected at water depths, near the eastern and north-western walls of the blue hole before developing steep and almost vertical slopes.
• There is variation in salinity and temperature inside the blue hole.

Key facts about Yucatan Peninsula

• It is a Northeastern projection of Central America which is lying between the Gulf of Mexico to the west and north and the Caribbean Seato the east. 
• The peninsula is almost wholly composed of beds of coralline and porous limestone rocks. 

What is Sinkhole?

• It can be formed due to natural processes or human activity.
• It is formed in the areas of “karst” terrains, where the rock below the surface of the Earth can be easily dissolved by groundwater.
• Karst terrain is created from the dissolution of soluble rocks, mostly limestone and dolomite and is characterised by distinctive landforms such as caves, sinkholes and springs.
• These can also be formed due to human activity due to broken land drains, water mains and sewerage pipes, increased rainfall etc.