The Deep Sea Vents, Deep Sea Vents otherwise known as hypothermal vents. These vents occur in geologically active regions of the ocean floor. The Deep Sea Vents are fissures along the ocean floor that release superheated water as high as 760°F (404°C) by magma from below the Earth’s crust. The surrounding ocean is just a few degrees above freezing. The hot water is saturated with dissolved minerals from the crust.

When the two fluids meet(superheated water in the vent reaches the frigid ocean water) , iron sulfide precipitates, which crystallize to create a chimney-like enclosure around each vent, the “black smoker” its color. The metal sulfides that are deposited can become massive sulfide ore deposits in time.

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In these dark depths, chemosynthesis—based on thermal and chemical energy from the vents—is the primary mechanism sustaining life,as it helps support a diverse community of organisms. Tubeworms and huge clams are the most distinctive inhabitants of Pacific Ocean vent sites, while eyeless shrimp are found only at vents in the Atlantic Ocean. Incredible deep-sea creatures have been known for quite some time. But these animals all depended on the regions above for their sustenance. The Deep Sea vents were first discovered in 1977 near the Galápagos Islands by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. They are found to exist in both the Pacific and Atlanta Ocean at an average depth of about 2,100 meters (7,000 ft). Several of these vents have been found and explored in both the Pacific and the Atlantic, while others likely remain hidden a mile or more below the sea surface and await discovery.

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