The Cabildo of Lanzarote, through the team of the UNESCO Lanzarote and Chinijo Archipelago Global Geopark, has promoted a new investigation in the Tunnel of the Atlantis, with the aim of learning more about its formation and geological evolution. This Place of Geological Interest corresponds to the submerged part of the volcanic tube of La Corona, located to the north of the island, and with 1,600 meters in length and about 64 meters of maximum depth, is considered the largest submerged lava tube in the world.
“Lanzarote can boast of being a territory of great geological wealth and this study will contribute to expanding the knowledge of one of the most diverse and important anchialine ecosystems in the world”, highlights the president of the Cabildo, María Dolores Corujo.
For his part, the Councilor for Geopark Lanzarote and Chinijo Archipelago, Nicolás Saavedra, highlights that “the great value not only geological, but biological, of the Tunnel of the Atlantis”, recalling that it houses 38 endemic species. “We want to continue discovering the secrets hidden by the Tunnel of the Atlantis, a space that, without a doubt, is an authentic geological and biological treasure”, he points out.
Project Details
The project “Studies and research on the sediments and waters of the Place of Geological Interest of the Tunnel of the Atlantis” was awarded for 14,391.50 euros to the National University of Distance Education (UNED) and is being developed by a team led by Javier Lario, Doctor in Geological Sciences and Professor of Geodynamics at the aforementioned university center, and three support cave divers with extensive experience in technical diving and rescue in aquatic environment and cavities.
All of them participated in the research project “Underwater geological exploration of the Tunnel of the Atlantis: paleoclimatic and geodynamic implications”, corresponding to the “Explora Ciencia” Project of the State Program of Scientific and Technical Research of Excellence of the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities developed between 2018 and 2021, as well as in the elaboration of the “Inventory of unique geological sites of the Tunnel of the Atlantis” carried out by Geopark Lanzarote and Chinijo Archipelago in 2021. Thus, it is a team that knows the cavity.
The investigation promoted by the Cabildo of Lanzarote began at the end of 2022 and consists of two campaigns of underwater immersions in the Tunnel of the Atlantis for the collection of data of sediments and waters of this Place of Geological Interest.
The first phase of the works was carried out in November and included the installation of temperature sensors in different areas and depths of the volcanic tube; the selection of sampling points of sediments and rocks and sampling of the same; the selection of water sampling points and their sampling; and the analysis of isotopes of sediments, rocks and waters for studies of water/land interaction, salt water/fresh water/land and paleoclimatic evolution.
The second immersion campaign is scheduled to take place during the next month of April and will involve the collection and reading of temperature sensors, new water samples to have an annual cycle and analysis of water isotopes.
Subsequently, the team in charge of the investigation will prepare a report with the results, which will be accompanied by a photographic report of the actions and that can be used by the UNESCO Lanzarote and Chinijo Archipelago Global Geopark for the elaboration of future reports or dissemination material.
