Scientists discover what happens hundreds of kilometers beneath Iran

A new study reveals two massive cracks in rock layers hundreds of kilometers beneath southeastern Iran, formed by tectonic plate movements. Researchers estimate the cracks will continue to develop and may connect in the future, but there is no immediate danger to residents.

A new study published in the scientific journal Nature Geoscience reveals two massive cracks in deep rock layers beneath southeastern Iran. The research, led by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, was based on data from 69 measurement stations that collected seismic waves between March 2017 and September 2018. The cracks formed due to differences in rock layer density: a heavy layer that was once an ocean floor sank to a depth of at least 450 kilometers in the Makran region, while in the Zagros Mountains area the continental layer reached a depth of up to 300 kilometers. The difference in sinking depths created pressure that led to the formation of the cracks. Researchers estimate the cracks will continue to develop and may connect in the future, in a natural process spanning millions of years. The discovery does not indicate an immediate danger to Iran's residents but provides information about the forces shaping the Earth. Researchers are now examining whether the development of the cracks could affect volcanic activity in the region.