The Earth’s surface is constantly changing, though most shifts happen over millions of years. Some changes are dramatic, like earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
Others, though less visible, are just as important. Deep beneath Iraq, a long-lost oceanic plate is breaking apart, causing shifts that stretch from southeastern Turkey to northwestern Iran, according to WP.
Scientists have been studying this phenomenon to understand its impact on the region’s landscape.
For millions of years, the Arabian and Eurasian plates have been moving toward each other. When they collided, the ocean floor between them was forced downward.
The impact of this slow-motion crash helped form the towering Zagros Mountains. But recent research suggests there’s more happening beneath the surface than previously thought.
The weight of the Zagros Mountains is pressing down on the Earth’s crust, creating depressions that fill with sediment.
However, one of these depressions is much deeper than expected. Scientists believe this is because an ancient oceanic plate beneath the region is not only sinking—it’s also breaking apart.
This is pulling the surface downward, creating a larger and deeper basin for sediment to collect.
Dr. Renas Koshnaw, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Göttingen, was surprised by the findings.
"The topography in the northwestern Zagros is not extreme, so we didn't expect to find such a deep sedimentary basin," he explained. "This tells us that something other than just the weight of the mountains is at play."
The research suggests that the Neotethys oceanic plate is sinking into the Earth's mantle, the thick layer of rock beneath the crust.
As the plate breaks apart, the downward forces weaken in certain areas. This explains why the depression in southeastern Iraq is deeper than the one leading into Turkey.
By studying these underground processes, scientists hope to gain a better understanding of how deep Earth movements shape the surface.
Their research is also relevant to other regions, such as the East African Rift. Some scientists predict that in 5 to 10 million years, East Africa could break away from the continent, forming a new ocean.
The study, published in the journal Solid Earth, reveals just how much of Earth’s history remains hidden beneath our feet.
