Scientists Discover Deepest Volcanic Vent
London – With a remote-controlled submarine, scientists recently found the deepest volcanic vent in the world. It is also said that the intensely heated waters in the vent could contain undiscovered underwater species and even provide evidence of the existence of early life forms on earth.
A team of experts who were aboard the RRS James Cook found the underwater volcanic vent located more than three miles (five kilometers) under the surface of the Caribbean. This area is called the Cayman Trough, an underwater canyon that was used as the setting of James Cameron’s movie “The Abyss.”
According to the submarine’s pilot, geologist Bramley Murton, exploring this previously undiscovered submerged area was “like wandering across the surface of another world,” and had several formations of multi-colored mineral deposits. There were also massive numbers of fluorescent blue microorganisms living around the cooler waters in the area.
Volcanic vents are openings on the surface of the earth. They penetrate deep into the surface and some of them can reach down to more than one mile or two kilometers. These openings can carry extreme temperatures since they are the vessel through which volcanic materials can spill out. The temperature there can go up to 750˚Fahrenheit or 400˚Celsius – hot enough to melt lead.