Acenote[1] is a type ofsinkhole that contains groundwater. It is typical in theMexicanYucatán Peninsula and some nearbyCaribbean islands. The term comes from a word used by the lowlandYucatec Maya to refer to any location where groundwater can be got at.
Cenotes are surface connections to underground water bodies.[2] While the most well-known cenotes are large open water pools measuring tens of metres in diameter, such as those atChichén Itzá, most cenotes are smaller sheltered sites and do not necessarily have any surface exposed water. The term cenote has also been used to describe similarkarst[3] features in other countries such asCuba andAustralia, in addition to the more generic term of sinkholes.
Cenote water is often very clear, as the water comes from rain water infiltrating slowly through the ground. The groundwater flow rate within a cenote may be very slow at velocities ranging from 1 to 1000 meters per year. Cenotes around the world attractcave divers. They have explored extensive flooded cave systems, some of which have been investigated for 100 kilometers or more.
Cenotes in or near the Yukatán may have been caused by theChicxulub meteor impact 60 million years ago.[4]
Yucatán Peninsula:
Central and Northern Region:
