During the first leg of the Deepwater Exploration of the Marianas expedition, we conducted three dives focused on looking for active hydrothermal vent sites -- and we even found some! These sites are oases of life on the seafloor, supporting incredibly dense communities of animals – in particular chemosynthetic fauna. Check out more highlights from Leg 1 of the expedition: http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/okeanos/explorations/ex1605/logs/may12/welcome.html | NOAA Ocean Exploration

Hydrothermal vents, driven by volcanism along tectonic plate boundaries, are short-lived openings in the seafloor that spew super-heated, chemical-rich fluids into the ocean. Often composed of dramatic chimney spires, hydrothermal vents are important habitat in the deep ocean, supporting chemosynthetic communities that can include shrimp, tubeworms, crabs, fish, and more. https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/news/exploration-extras/24-national-ocean-month/welcome.html#chemosynthetic | NOAA Ocean Explo