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Giant Ocean Vortex Discovered

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the holy-overstatement-batman dept.

Darkman, Walkin Dude writes "Dubbed a "death trap" by a team of scientists from The University of Western Australia Murdoch University, CSIRO and three American, French and Spanish research institutions, a 200km in diameter and 1000m deep ocean vortex has been discovered off the Rottnest Canyon. Visible from space, scientists claim is has the potential to affect the local climate and the climate further abroad, the vortex is acting as a "death trap" by sucking in fish larvae from closer to the shore."

11 of 141 comments (clear)

  1. As seen from space.... by GregStevensLA · · Score: 5, Funny

    I hear this is how Jupiter's Red Spot got started.....

    1. Re:As seen from space.... by SEWilco · · Score: 4, Informative
      The canyon is west of Rottwell Island, which is just west of Perth, which is just north of the SW corner of Australia.

      However, the "death trap" viewpoint is somewhat different from this one:

      "The canyon begins at a depth of 50 metres and falls to 5,000, making it one of the worlds largest submarine canyons. It is a fascinating area that annually attracts pygmy blue whales, drawn by an abundance of krill. During summer, as many as 20 whales may be found at one time at this site. The whales eat up to 10 tonnes of krill a day and we want to find out whether there is a correlation between the presence of the canyon and the physical oceanography and the biological productivity of krill."
  2. Hmm. by sylvandb · · Score: 5, Funny

    Well, doesn't that just suck!

    sdb

  3. RIAA by MountainLogic · · Score: 4, Funny

    Let see, lots of hot air and small fish going down the drain, yep that's it.

  4. Aw shucks by ENOENT · · Score: 4, Informative

    It's NOT a kilometer-deep whirlpool, sucking ships down to crash on the rocks below. It's just some circulating water.

    --
    That's "Mr. Soulless Automaton" to you, Bub.
  5. These things just happen... by RyanXP · · Score: 5, Funny

    These things happen a lot when you run a game with a vindictive Dungeon Master. You make one teeeny fat joke about his girlfriend and he throws down his cheetohs and dumps all of your characters in a giant ocean vortex. Jerk.

  6. Elevator to R'lyeh by jonskerr · · Score: 5, Funny

    Great Cthulhu has awakened once again! Soon His undersea minions will spawn all across the surface of the globe.

    --
    O~ Him that studies revenge keeps his own wounds green. -- Francis Bacon
  7. I saw a documentary about this by Attila · · Score: 4, Funny

    It was on Discovery or something, some show about a search for a particular fish around Australia??? I just remember this once scene where they found this vortex, went like this:

    Marlin: Where? I don't see it.
    Dory: There! I see it! I see it!
    Marlin: You mean the swirling vortex of terror?
    Crush: That's it, dude!

    --
    Dear Will, the plums were poisoned. -- Cheese Club
  8. Can't be a RIAA production by KwKSilver · · Score: 4, Funny

    This is a huge suck-job, which is actually doing something meaningful. If it were a RIAA product, it would be being advertized everywhere, as the "THE GREATEST ORGIASTIC SWINGING EXPERIENCE OF ALL TIME," and would be turn out to be just another hand-job, and ... bring your own hand.

    Back to topic, a little Googling failed to turn up more detailed data, even at the research institution sponsoring the study, the University of Western Australia Murdoch University, see here. I did come across the images of something else of interest on Rottnest Island, the quokka, which is not only more dignified and intelligent than the typical RIAA-oid, but a lot cuter, too.

    --
    If you want your life to be different, live it differently.
  9. Re:What's Causing It? by Tallweirdo · · Score: 5, Informative
    The vortex is probably just a result of the Leeuwin Current (linked article contains satellite thermal pictures showing eddies in the current).

    The Leeuwin Current is a permanent feature of Western Australia's waters and reaches it's peak in the autumn and winter (so it is at its peak now).

    From the linked article "The Leeuwin Current rarely flows around the eastern side of Rottnest, but it frequently bathes the western and southwestern sides, influencing the flora and fauna there. Sea temperatures in those regions in winter are several degrees higher than against the mainland coast."

  10. Re:What's Causing It? by TapeCutter · · Score: 4, Funny

    In other news:
    Scientists in nearby Perth are sudying a 20m wide plug shaped object that was dragged up from the ocean floor by local fishermen.

    --
    And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage? - Pink Floyd.