hydrothermal vent
Deep ocean chimney
A hydrothermal vent is an opening in the ocean floor where superheated water, rich in dissolved minerals, erupts from beneath the Earth's crust.
These vents occur along mid-ocean ridges and support ecosystems that thrive without sunlight, relying instead on chemosynthesis.
Scientists discovered new species clustered around the hydrothermal vents.
The mineral-laden water creates dramatic structures called black smokers or white smokers, depending on their chemical composition.
Energy from chemical reactions
- sulfidesCompounds with element sixteen
- hydrogen sulfideToxic gas, foul-smelling
- mineralsInorganic natural solids
- precipitateHeadlong and reckless
superheated · anoxic · pH · methane · iron · manganese · copper · zinc
Sedentary marine annelids
- giant clamsMassive tropical reef bivalves
- musselsEdible marine bivalves
- shrimpSmall edible crustacean
- octopusEight-limbed sea mollusk
bacteria · archaea · extremophiles · symbiosis · endemic species · biofilm · food web
Submarine volcanic mountain range
- seafloorOcean's solid base
- basaltFine-grained volcanic stone
- riftCrack or estrangement
- tectonicOf crustal forces
magma · volcanic · mantle · lithosphere · subduction · oceanic crust · plate boundary · seismic
Small striped rodent
- submersibleUnderwater exploration vehicle
- ROVPiloted-from-above underwater craft
- deep-sea divingUnderwater exploration at extreme depths
- oceanographyScientific study of seas
discovery · NOAA · Jason · research vessel
chemosynthesis
Energy from chemical reactions
- sulfidesCompounds with element sixteen
- hydrogen sulfideToxic gas, foul-smelling
- mineralsInorganic natural solids
precipitate · superheated · anoxic · pH · methane · iron · manganese · copper · zinc · mineral deposits
tubeworms
Sedentary marine annelids
- giant clamsMassive tropical reef bivalves
- musselsEdible marine bivalves
- shrimpSmall edible crustacean
octopus · bacteria · archaea · extremophiles · symbiosis · endemic species · biofilm · food web
mid-ocean ridge
Submarine volcanic mountain range
tectonic · magma · volcanic · mantle · lithosphere · subduction · oceanic crust · plate boundary · seismic · fissure
Alvin
Small striped rodent
- submersibleUnderwater exploration vehicle
- ROVPiloted-from-above underwater craft
- deep-sea divingUnderwater exploration at extreme depths
oceanography · discovery · NOAA · Jason · research vessel
chimney
Vertical smoke passage
pyrite
Brass-yellow iron sulfide
chalcedony · hematite · magnetite · silica · copper ore · gold · silver
- oceanwaves, Atlantic, sea, Pacific, tide
- underwaterunderwater, submerged, immersed, sea bed, seabed
- Extreme Terrainabyss, arctic, Antarctic, Antarctica, Death Valley
- habitatsforest, ocean, lake, river, pond
- ocean featurestrench, atoll, coral reef, continental shelf, barrier reef
- originsbeginning, birth, creation, source, roots
hydrothermal ventgeyser
Erupting thermal vent
fumarole · volcanic hot spring · volcanic crater · desert oasis · alpine meadow
vent, thermal, hydro, hydropower, geothermal, hydroplane, hydrotherapy, hydrodynamics, therm