Vent and Volcanoes

Education Theme: Vents and Volcanoes

Vents and Volcanoes

Most of the active volcanoes on Earth are located underwater, formed when magma from deep within the crust rises to the seafloor. Cooling of the magma can create hydrothermal vents, where superheated and chemical-rich water spews upward, similar to geysers on land. Despite being in areas with no light for sunlight-driven food production, vent sites often support diverse communities of animals that have adapted to produce food using chemical energy, via a process known as chemosynthesis.

Choose from the sections below to further explore ocean exploration education resources on hydrothermal vents and volcanoes.

Essays

Background Information

Explore fact sheets, essays, and stories from our explorers to learn more about the study of submarine volcanoes and hydrothermal vents.

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Lessons

Lessons

Access selected lessons about hydrothermal vents and volcanoes developed by scientists and educators during recent expeditions.

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Multimedia

Multimedia

View selected videos and images of hydrothermal vents and volcanoes from previous expeditions.

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Expeditions

Expeditions

Explore past expeditions focused on increasing our understanding of hydrothermal vents and underwater volcanoes.

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Ocean Exploration Careers

Ocean Exploration Careers

Learn about careers focused on the exploration of hydrothermal vents and underwater volcanoes.

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The above items are only a selection of the educational materials highlighting hydrothermal vents and underwater volcanoes on our website.

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