hydrothermal vent

American  

noun

Oceanography, Geology.

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

---

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.

---

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 • Dec. 30, 2025

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 • Nov. 2, 2025

Bright and her colleagues hope that shedding more light on the inner workings of hydrothermal vent ecosystems will help shield them from development.

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

Figure 37.9 Swimming shrimp, a few squat lobsters, and hundreds of vent mussels are seen at a hydrothermal vent at the bottom of the ocean.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022