hydrothermal vent

American  

noun

Oceanography, Geology.

1. an opening on the floor of the sea from which hot, mineral-rich solutions issue.

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hydrothermal vent Scientific  

1. A fissure on the floor of a sea out of which flows water that has been heated by underlying magma. The water can be as hot as 400°C (752°F) and usually contains dissolved minerals that precipitate out of it upon contact with the colder seawater, building a stack of minerals, or chimney. Hydrothermal vents form an ecosystem for microbes and animals, such as tubeworms, giant clams, and blind shrimp, that can withstand the hostile environment.

2. ◆ The hottest hydrothermal vents are called black smokers because they spew iron and sulfide which combine to form iron monosulfide, a black compound.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

hydrothermal vent

"And now you get a hydrothermal vent system, just like in the deep sea, but made by the heat from an impact."

From Science Daily ● Apr. 3, 2026

A new study published in Scientific Reports describes the discovery of an unusually large hydrothermal vent field on the shallow seafloor surrounding the Greek island of Milos.

From Science Daily ● Dec. 30, 2025

To test this idea, the scientists sent the ROV down to the Tica Vent, a well-studied hydrothermal vent located 2,500 meters below the ocean’s surface.

From Scientific American ● Aug. 9, 2023

The purpose of NOAA’s three Journey to the Ridge expeditions this year is to further explore the unique hydrothermal vent habitats of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the Azores Plateau.

From Washington Times ● Jul. 27, 2022

Nanoarchaeum equitans: This species was isolated from the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean and from a hydrothermal vent at Yellowstone National Park.

From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2015

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