Hydrothermal vents
Hydrothermal vents are volcanic vents in the planet's surface, found near volcanically active places where tectonic plates are moving apart. Geothermically heated water issues from these vents. There are several different types of these vents and they can be found either on land or under the sea. They include:
- Hot Springs: emits geothermically heated ground water from the Earths crust (land)
- Fumaroles: emits steam and gases (land)
- Geysers: springs with a discharge of turbulently ejected water followed by a vapour stage of discharge (land)
- Black smokers: submarine hydrothermal vents
Black Smokers
The hydrothermal vents associated with the theory of life are black smokers, the type of hydrothermal vents found under the sea, hence the name of the hypothesis being The Deep Sea Vent theory.
Hydrothermal vents under the sea were first discovered in the late 1970s on a submarine voyage where it was found that areas around the vents were able to support complex communities and were biologically very productive despite the lack of light energy below the water to provide energy. It is believed that life may have begun at submarine hydrothermal vents due to the combination of high heat from the vents and the cold seawater providing a suitable temperature for the formation of the first organic compounds. It is believed that the formation of pyrite in vents from sulfur and iron could have produced energy to force organic compounds to combine leading eventually to the creation of life. It has been suggested that the metal sulfides formed from black smokers could have acted as catalysts in the first step towards building organic molecules.
Critics of the theory argue that on a molecular level chances of life originating at deep sea thermal vents is not likely as organic molecules are unstable at hight temperatures and are destroyed as quickly as they are produced. Supporters of the theory counter this arguing that the organic molecules are formed in the thermal gradient of water surrounding the vent at the bottom of the ocean, at temperatures more suitable for organic chemistry.
Critics of the theory argue that on a molecular level chances of life originating at deep sea thermal vents is not likely as organic molecules are unstable at hight temperatures and are destroyed as quickly as they are produced. Supporters of the theory counter this arguing that the organic molecules are formed in the thermal gradient of water surrounding the vent at the bottom of the ocean, at temperatures more suitable for organic chemistry.