The trench is 800 kilometres (497 mi) long[1] and has a maximum depth of 8,376 metres (27,480 ft)[2] or 5.20 miles. This constitutes the single deepest point in the Atlantic Ocean. This point is commonly referred to as the Milwaukee Deep, with the Brownson Deep naming the seabed surrounding it.[3] However, more recently, the latter term has also been used interchangeably with the former to refer to this point.[4][5][6] The exact point was identified by the DSSV Pressure Drop using a state-of-the-art Kongsberg EM124 multibeam sonar in 2018, and then directly visited and its depth verified by the crewed submersible Deep-Submergence Vehicle DSV Limiting Factor (a Triton 36000/2 model submersible) piloted by Victor Vescovo.[7][8][9]
Scientific studies have concluded that an earthquake occurring along this fault zone could generate a significant tsunami.[10] The island of Puerto Rico, which lies immediately to the south of the fault zone and the trench, suffered a destructive tsunami soon after the 1918 San Fermín earthquake.
^NOAA Ocean Exploration. "Mission Plan". Oceano Profundom 2015: Exploring Puerto Rico’s Seamounts, Trenches, and Troughs. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
^"Atlantic Ocean". Five Deeps Expedition. Archived from the original on 2020-04-13. Retrieved 2020-01-24.