Massive freshwater reservoir discovered beneath Atlantic Ocean

Columbia University scientists used an electromagnetic receiver to study offshore groundwater deposits beneath the Atlantic Ocean. They discovered a vast freshwater reservoir extending from New Jersey to Massachusetts, starting 600 feet below the ocean floor. This reservoir likely formed at the end of the last Ice Age when lower sea levels exposed the continental shelf, allowing river deltas to trap freshwater. The aquifer is dynamic, fed by subterranean runoff, and shows a gradient from fresh to salty water as it mixes with the ocean.

What technology did Columbia University scientists use to find the freshwater reservoir?

• Satellite imaging

• Sonar equipment

• Electromagnetic receiver

• Seismic sensors

How far does the freshwater reservoir extend from the coast?

• 50 miles

• 30 miles

• 20 miles

• 100 miles

What geological event contributed to the formation of the reservoir?

• Volcanic eruption

• Earthquake

• End of the last Ice Age

• Meteor impact

What happened to sea levels after the Ice Age that affected the reservoir?

• They remained constant

• They fluctuated

• They fell

• They rose

How does the salinity of the aquifer change as it extends outward?

• It becomes saltier

• It becomes fresher

• It remains the same

• It fluctuates