Pockmark (geology)

A pockmark is like a tiny, shallow hole on the ground or the seafloor made by something big bursting or blowing up. Imagine you're playing with balloons and you fill them up with air until they pop - that's what happens with the ground or seafloor. Something very powerful like gas or water, trapped underground or under the sea, suddenly gets released and creates a small hole on the surface. Pockmarks can also happen if there are rocks or minerals underneath that dissolve or erode over time, like when you pour water over sugar and it dissolves. Pockmarks can be seen on the seafloor when you go scuba diving, and they're important to scientists because they can tell them about the history of the Earth's natural processes like volcanoes or underwater landslides.