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

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

The amphipod was discovered at a depth of 2,602 meters in a mussel bed within the Galápagos Rift hydrothermal vent fields.

From Science Daily

Scientists at Newcastle University found that by mixing hydrogen, bicarbonate, and iron-rich magnetite under conditions mimicking relatively mild hydrothermal vent results in the formation of a spectrum of organic molecules, most notably including fatty acids stretching up to 18 carbon atoms in length.

From Science Daily

A new bacterial species discovered at the deep-sea hydrothermal vent site 'Crab Spa' provides a deeper understanding of bacterial evolution.

From Science Daily

Such a scenario would mark another similarity between Europa’s ocean and Earth’s deep-sea hydrothermal vent systems, where some scientists believe our planet’s life arose.

From Scientific American