Life may have originated from undersea volcanoes

Much of the volcanic activity on Earth takes place at depths of several kilometers under the ocean.

Our understanding of Earth’s ocean floor is less than that of Mars. Here, scientists believe that the unusual physical and chemical conditions associated with hydrothermal systems on the seafloor may have created the right environment for the origin of life on Earth. Mysterious Megaplume Scientists discovered large areas of thermal fluid in the ocean above volcanic ridges. These large and powerful hot waters, rich in chemicals, rising from the ocean floor are called megaplume. Their size is really huge, with a volume that can exceed 100 km3, equivalent to 40 million Olympic swimming pools. Although they appear to be related to subterranean mountain eruptions, their origin remains a mystery. In their study, the scientists used a mathematical model to explain the dispersion of volcanic ash across the ocean. Thanks to detailed mapping of a volcanic ash deposit in the Northeast Pacific, scientists know that this ash can spread up to several kilometers from an eruption. This cannot be easily explained by tides or other ocean currents. Instead, the results suggest that these water columns are very energetic. The energy required to drive the flow and carry the ash is surprisingly large, about 1 terawatt (nearly half of the energy needs of the entire United States at a time). The scientists calculated that this would create water columns of similar size as said. They have since produced strong evidence that megaplumes are associated with active seafloor eruptions and that they form very quickly, possibly within hours. So what is the source of heat and chemicals to make this megaplume? The most obvious candidate is of course newly erupting molten lava. At first glance, the scientists’ results seem to support this hypothesis. Accordingly, the formation of megaplume occurs simultaneously with the eruption of lava and volcanic ash. However, when the scientists calculated the amount of lava needed for the megaplume, it was unrealistically high, about 10 times larger than most underground lava flows. The scientists’ best guess is that although the occurrence of megaplumes is linked to undersea eruptions, they are mainly derived from depleted hydrothermal reservoirs present in the ocean. . As the lava directed upward to create undersea eruptions, it may have pushed this liquid hotter than 300 degrees Celsius along. Volcano erupts under the sea. Life in harsh environments In contrast to terrestrial volcanoes, detecting an eruption occurring on the seabed is extremely difficult. Therefore, there is still much for scientists to learn about submarine volcanism and its role in the marine environment. A new study by scientists Sam Pegler and David Ferguson at the University of Leeds (UK) published in the journal Nature Communications has yielded important insights. It’s amazing to find extreme ecophiles (polar biologists) around hydrothermal vents. This discovery expands what we know about life and where it exists. The fluid flow involved in megaplume formation may be the main mechanism in dispersing these microorganisms from their subterranean origin. If this is the case, deep-sea volcanism is an important factor influencing the geography of polar communities. Some scientists believe that the unusual physical and chemical conditions associated with undersea hydrothermal systems may have provided a suitable environment for the origin of life on Earth. Thus, the megaplume may have been involved in this dispersal of life across the ocean. In the absence of other sources of nutrients and light, these types of organisms would have been the first to exist on our planet. They are present because of the heat and chemicals that lava spews up the volcanoes under the sea. Because volcanic ash deposits carried by megaplume appear to be fairly common in the deep sea, the scientists’ study found that the proliferation of life through megaplume dispersal could be widespread. Although it is not yet possible to observe a deep-sea eruption firsthand, efforts are being made to collect data on submarine volcanic events. Most notable is the observatory at Axial Volcano in the Pacific Ocean. This seabed measuring device can transmit data in real time, recording ongoing events. Through such efforts, along with continued mapping and sampling of the ocean floor, the character of volcanism under the oceans is gradually being revealed.