The massive hydrothermal field 8,366 feet below the surface of the Pacific Ocean resembles a candlestick
Scientists discovered a new hydrothermal field 8,366 feet beneath the Pacific Ocean covering an area the size of a football field that could help them better understand how volcanic activity has affected life in Earth’s oceans. These deep-sea vents are located in places where activity from the planet’s crust causes tectonic plates to split and form new seafloor rock that contains cracks where seawater seeps – similar to what hot springs do on land, these vents eject mineral-rich fluids. heated to a high temperature. A team of researchers from Lehigh University discovered this field about 200 miles off the coast of Mexico and have stated that it will help to advance our understanding of how marine life is – and continues to be – affected by volcanic eruptions. Scroll down for the video ‘The mapping work provides a detailed picture of the ocean floor so we can monitor and measure changes that occur when the next volcanic eruption occurs,’ said one of the researchers. Photo: The hy