Which ocean is the 'oldest' in the world?

The Pacific Ocean is the world's largest and deepest ocean, and is also the oldest, containing rock samples dating back some 200 million years.

The Pacific Ocean is the world's largest, deepest, and oldest ocean. Photo: NOAA

The Pacific Ocean is the world's largest ocean, with an area of 163 million square kilometers, large enough to fit all of Earth's land, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The Mariana Trench, in the western Pacific, is the planet's deepest ocean trench, with a depth of about 11,000 meters. In addition, the Pacific Ocean is also the world's oldest ocean, with rock samples dating back up to 200 million years, IFL Science reported on June 7.

The world's oceans are constantly changing as tectonic plates in the Earth's crust move. The Pacific Ocean is actually shrinking while the Atlantic Ocean is expanding toward it. There is an area in the Pacific Ocean called the "Ring of Fire" because of the intense volcanic and earthquake activity of the tectonic plates.

As the world's "oldest" ocean, it seems logical that the Pacific Ocean also contains extremely ancient seawater. According to research, the oldest water in the North Pacific has been trapped in a "dark zone" deep below the surface for about 1,000 years.

Still, it’s very young compared to some other saltwater bodies. A remnant of the North Atlantic, an ancient body of water lies beneath the Chesapeake Bay in an impact crater that formed 35 million years ago. Scientists believe the water is between 100 and 145 million years old and has always been there, but was released when the asteroid hit, then trapped underneath. The water is so ancient that it’s twice as salty as modern ocean water.

Meanwhile, the world’s oldest piece of oceanic crust that is still submerged today lies undisturbed in the Mediterranean Sea of the Atlantic Ocean. Thought to be about 340 million years old, the structure formed when magma (molten rock) rose and cooled. As it cooled at the mid-ocean ridge, minerals in the magma became magnetized, allowing researchers to detect the structure using magnetic sensors.

Thu Thao (According to IFL Science )

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