Baltic Sea anomaly

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The Baltic Sea anomaly is a 60-metre (200 ft) diameter circular rock-like formation on the floor of the
northern Baltic Sea, at the center of the Bothnian Sea, discovered by Peter Lindberg, Dennis sberg and
their Swedish "Ocean X" diving team in June 2011. The team reported that the formation rests on a pillar
and includes a structure similar in appearance to a staircase, leading to a dark hole.
Commentators have suggested that the structure could be a World War II anti-submarine device, a battleship
gun turret, sediment dropped by a fishing trawler, or a flying saucer. Geologists have stated that it is most
likely a natural geological formation.

Contents
1 Discovery
2 Description
3 Chemical composition
4 Reaction
4.1 Criticism
4.2 Alternative explanations
5 See also
6 References
7 External links

Discovery
The discovery was made on June 19, 2011 by the Swedish-based "Ocean X Team" during a dive in the
Baltic Sea between Sweden and Finland while searching for an old shipwreck. The group describes
themselves as treasure hunters and salvage operators who specialize in underwater searches for sunken
"antique high-end alcoholic beverages and historic artefacts".[1] In March 2012, Ocean X formalized a
partnership with entertainment producers Titan TV to produce a TV documentary series and documentary
film.[2]

Description
According to Ocean X, the formation has an appearance of "rough granite", is round, 3 to 4 metres (9.8 to
13.1 ft) thick and approximately 60 metres (200 ft) in diameter, stands on an 8-meter (26 ft) tall pillar-like
feature, and is located at a depth of 85 to 90 metres (279 to 295 ft). There is also another smaller object not

far away.[3][4][5][6] The object is at the end of what resembles a 300-metre (980 ft) "runway".[7]
The Ocean X team has published one additional close-up sonar scan on their Web site and nine additional
close-up sonar scans on their YouTube page that appear to show a 90-degree angle and other features of the
object.[8][9]
On their second expedition, they reported that they found something that looks like a staircase and a round
black hole that goes directly into the structure.[10]

Chemical composition
A sample recovered by divers was reportedly found to contain limonite and goethite. Israeli geologist Steve
Weiner claimed that these materials are "metals which nature could not reproduce itself";[11] however,
Swedish geologists Fredrik Klingberg and Martin Jakobsson say that the chemical composition of the
sample resembles that of nodules that are not uncommon in sea beds, and that the materials found, including
limonite and goethite, can indeed be formed by nature itself.
Stone samples have also been analyzed by Volker Brchert, an associate professor of geology at Stockholm
University. According to Brchert, most of the samples that were brought up from the sea bottom are
granites, gneisses and sandstones. Among the samples was also a single loose piece of basaltic (volcanic)
rock, which is out of place on the seafloor, but not unusual. "Because the whole northern Baltic region is so
heavily influenced by glacial thawing processes, both the feature and the rock samples are likely to have
formed in connection with glacial and postglacial processes. [...] Possibly these rocks were transported there
by glaciers", explained Brchert.[12]

Reaction
While a former Swedish naval officer speculated that the sonar image could show the remains of a World
War II German anti-submarine device,[13] and Discovery.com contributor Benjamin Radford considered that
it could be a damaged gun turret from an old battleship,[14] scientist Charles Paull of the Monterey Bay
Aquarium Research Institute told Popular Mechanics it was more likely simply a rock outcrop, sediment
dropped from a fishing trawler, or even a school of fish.[15]
Gran Ekberg, marine archaeologist at Sjhistoriska museet (Maritime museum) in Stockholm was quoted
as saying, "A natural, geological formation can't be ruled out. I agree the finding looks weird since it's
completely circular. But nature has produced stranger things than that."[10] Martin Jakobsson, professor of
marine geology and geophysics at Stockholm University also examined images from the dive and said, "I'm
guessing it's some sort of sandstone. But to make things clear, I've only seen the media images, and I need
more material before making an official statement."[16] Danish archaeologist Jrgen Dencker said the
formation was quite possibly a grouping of rocks deposited by Ice age glaciers.[4] Other experts say that the
formation may be a pillow basalt, a moraine, or the product of a hydrothermal vent.[17]
Although Ocean X spokesman Lindbergh maintains that the formation contains unnaturally straight lines
and other constructions, according to Zmescience.com writer Tibi Puiu, "If anything...this discovery
perfectly illustrates mans power of fitting patterns together, something that has allowed for one of the

worlds greatest scientific discoveries to be made, but which also plunged man in making demented
claims."[18]

Criticism
The single sonar image provided by Ocean X has drawn criticism from various sources.[17] Hanumant Singh
of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution has said that it cannot be trusted. Stating that a cheap
inaccurate instrument was used for the image,[19][20] he added that it had been improperly wired and
calibrated. MSNBC said media comparisons to a flying saucer were likely suggested by graphic outlines
drawn onto the sonar image, said to resemble the fictional spaceship Millennium Falcon.[17] Paull of the
Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute characterized the discovery as curious and fun, but much ado
about nothing."[15]
Jonathan Hill of the Mars Space Flight Facility questioned the motives involved in Ocean X announcements,
which included plans to take wealthy tourists in a submarine to visit the site. He was quoted as saying
"Whenever people make extraordinary claims, it's always a good idea to consider for a moment whether they
are personally benefiting from the claim or if it's a truly objective observation." He also suggested that it
would have been simple to break off a piece and have it geologically tested, and said that test results
showing it was simply rock would not have benefited Peter Lindberg.[17]
Ocean X founder Peter Lindberg responded to charges of poor science and attempting to benefit from the
publicity, saying "First we thought this was only stone, but this is something else. And since no volcanic
activity has ever been reported in the Baltic Sea the find becomes even stranger."[20]

Alternative explanations
Some ufologists have claimed the formation is an alien ship, though no evidence has been found to support
this conclusion.[14]

See also
Yonaguni Monument
Giant's Causeway

References
1.
2.
3.
4.

5.
6.
7.
8.

"About X-team". Ocean X team. Retrieved 25 July 2012.

"Ocean X Team News". March 2012. OceanX. Retrieved 6 September 2012.
oceanexplorer.se: 2012-07-09 (http://www.oceanexplorer.se/)
Danish: 16. juli 2012, videnskab.dk: Nye billeder: Ukendt objekt i stersen er ren X-files
(http://videnskab.dk/miljo-naturvidenskab/nye-billeder-ukendt-objekt-i-ostersoen-er-ren-x-files) Quote: "...Objektet
er som frst antaget 60 meter langt og njagtig lige s bredt..."
Swedish: 15 jun 2012, expressen.se: S ser den mystiska cirkeln ut p nra hll (http://www.expressen.se/nyheter/saser-den-mystiska-cirkeln-ut-pa-nara-hall/)
oceanexplorer.se: 2012-06-15 (http://www.oceanexplorer.se/page/2/)
Danish: Bygbjerg, Sren. 17 Jun 2012 "SE NYE MYSTISKE BILLEDER: Ligger der en UFO p havets bund?"
Check |url= value (help). DR Nyheder (BBC News). Retrieved 13 September 2012.
http://www.oceanexplorer.se/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/456_90D.jpg

9. Asberg, Dennis. "Pictures from the object in the Baltic sea". Retrieved 13 September 2012.
10. Swedish: 12 Aug 2012, expressen.se: Trappa senaste fyndet vid mystiska cirkeln
(http://www.expressen.se/nyheter/trappa-senaste-fyndet-vid-mystiska-cirkeln/)
11. "Cirkeln r minst 14 000 r gammal". Retrieved October 10, 2013.
12. Wolchover, Natalie. " 'Mysterious' Baltic Sea Object Is a Glacial Deposit". Thu, Aug 30, 2012. LiveScience.com
Yahoo News. Retrieved 31 August 2012. "The divers recently gave samples of stone from the object to Volker
Brchert"
13. Waugh, Rob (13 July 2012). "Sonar scans show that 'UFO' at bottom of Baltic sea may actually be a top-secret Nazi
anti-submarine defence lost since the Second World War". Daily Mail. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
14. "Unidentified Sunken Object: Probably Not Alien". News Website. discovery.com. Retrieved 29 June 2012.
15. Main, Douglas (January 2, 2012). "Underwater UFO? Get Real, Experts Say". Popular Mechanics.
16. Calleberg, Av Maria (25 July 2012). "S ser den mystiska cirkeln ut p nra hll (Such is the mysterious circle out at
close range)". Expressene.se. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
17. Wotchover, Natalie (2012-06-29). "Baltic Sea 'sunken UFO' begins to smell like an elaborate scam". msnbc.
Retrieved 7 July 2012.
18. Puiu, Tibi. "So called Baltic Sea "UFO" mystery solved, other questions arise". Published on Mon, Jun 18, 2012.
zmescience.com. Retrieved 15 August 2012.
19. Radford, Benjamin. "Second 'sunken UFO' claim doesn't really hold water". 2/1/2012. NBCnews.com. Retrieved
16 August 2012.
20. "Divers claim 'Baltic UFO' shuts down all electronics within 200m". 2012-06-27. Retrieved 7 July 2012.

External links
Ocean X Website (http://www.oceanexplorer.se)
Ocean X YouTube Channel (http://www.youtube.com/user/dempaboda)
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Baltic_Sea_anomaly&oldid=694011605"
Categories: Ufology Baltic Sea
This page was last modified on 6 December 2015, at 14:34.
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