A
black smoker is a hydrothermal vent, a
geyser on the
ocean floor. Black smokers are known to exist in the
Atlantic ocean and the
Pacific ocean, at an average depth of 2100
meters. The temperature of the hot water they vent can reach 400
°C, which does not boil due to the high pressure at that depth. They also vent
minerals dissolved in the water, often
iron and
sulfide[?], which can react to
iron monosulfide[?], giving the geyser its distinct black color.
The first black smokers were discovered in 1977.
In spite of the sparse life in these depths, black smokers are the center of whole
ecosystems. The heat and sulfur compounds they provide can be used by
archaea,
extremophile unicellular organisms. Higher lifeforms, like
clams and
tubeworms[?], can in turn feed on the archaea.
Link to this page
