| Unexplored
before 1977, underwater volcanoes, also known as hydrothermal vents
or 'black smokers', represent a unique environment on our planet.
In spite of their inaccessibility, they continue to be the focus of
much investigation and research, the results of which are helping
to answer many scientific questions. If you would like to read more
about their discovery, visit Life
without Light: Discoveries from the Abyss at ZooGoer Magazine.
The Task
Today you and your group will be covering the background of hydrothermal
vents. Focus on the basic questions: Who? What? Where? When? and
How?
• Who discovered hydrothermal vents?
• What did they find?
• Where did they find them?
• When did they make the discovery?
• How were they able to check out these extreme environments?
Although all of the above questions should be answered, we would
like you to expand on the history of hydrothermal vents and the
physical properties of the environment near these underwater volcanoes.
The first scientific exploration of hydrothermal vents did not take
place until 1977. Interestingly, by that point in history the following
already happened…
• First automobile produced (1886)
• 6 people had climbed Mount Everest
• First manned flight (1903)
• First programmable computer (1943)
• First man-made satellite of earth (1957)
• First person to orbit the Earth ( 1961)
• First person to walk on the moon (1969)
We had already explored land air and space… Why did it take
so long for us to explore the ocean floors? What makes these environments
so extreme?
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Online
Resources
'Black
Smokers' on the Sea Floor - A brief description of how 'black
smokers' form with images. (United
States Geological Survey)
Black
Smokers- An online expedition to hydrothermal vents. Including
discriptions of life forms and oceanographic vessels. (American
Museum of Natural History)
Exploration:
Submarine Ring of Fire - An online exploration of the ocean
floor with information on many related topics such as vent chemistry
including images.. (National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration)
Lost
City Expeditions- join an expedition aboard the research vessel
Atlantis to the Lost City Hydrothermal Field on the Mid-Atlantic
Ridge (University of Washington)
Into
the Abyss - This site covers life in the abyss, oceanographic
vessels with images (Nova online/PBS online)
Ocean
AdVENTure: From Deep Sea to Deep Space - an excellent ThinkQuest
covering all aspects of this topic
Black
Smokers- Basic overview of hydrothermal vents. (PBS online)
Expedition
Gallery: Dispatches FROM THE DEEP - a gallery of images (click
to get enlarged image with caption). (The New York Times on the
Web)
Oases
on the ocean floor - Article describing these extreme environments.
( World Wildlife Foundation)
Scientists
Discover Secrets of 'Lost City' - Article accompanied by maps
and photos of geology of a hydrothermal vents. (National Science
Foundation)
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