Holes spewing warm fluids from the boundary between tectonic plates have been discovered at the bottom of the ocean off the coast of Oregon. Researchers think this strange, never-before-seen phenomenon, dubbed Pythia's Oasis after an ancient Greek priestess, could provide insight into earthquake risk along the dangerous fault — although exactly how it affects the tectonics is unclear.
The Cascadia subduction zone stretches from Vancouver Island to northern California. It is the offshore region where the Explorer, Juan de Fuca, and Gorda oceanic plates slide under the North American continental plate. The plate boundary has the capacity to produce earthquakes of magnitude 9 or more — among the most powerful quakes produced on Earth — according to the Oregon Department of Emergency Management. A devastating quake could also be accompanied by tsunami waves up to 100 feet (30.5 meters) high.
