Formation & Decline
Hydrothermal vents form when cold water seeps down into the cracks and fissures of the seafloor and reacts with the magma that lies below the surface. The cracks and fissures in the ocean floor are caused by plate tectonic movement. Once the cold water reacts with the magma, the water shoots back into the surface absorbing heat and various dissolved substances that result from precipitation.
The water often shoots into what is known as a “chimney.” A chimney in the ocean floor is composed of dissolved metals that come from the water. The dissolved metals are a result of the cold water and magma reacting together. Along with metals, harmful toxins can also be released from the chimney, which scientists first presumed would be detrimental to living organisms near the hydrothermal vent.
The water often shoots into what is known as a “chimney.” A chimney in the ocean floor is composed of dissolved metals that come from the water. The dissolved metals are a result of the cold water and magma reacting together. Along with metals, harmful toxins can also be released from the chimney, which scientists first presumed would be detrimental to living organisms near the hydrothermal vent.