Hydrothermal vent on Europa & Enceladus
Q. Which of the following statements is/are correct about a hydrothermal vent?
1. Sun is the source of energy for a hydrothermal vent.
2. Active hydrothermal vents are believed to exist on Jupiter's moon Europa, and Saturn's moon Enceladus- Published on 23 Nov 15a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Both
d. None
ANSWER: Only 2
- Except for the deep sea hydro-thermal ecosystem, sun is the only source of energy for all ecosystems on Earth.
- A hydrothermal vent is a fissure in a planet's surface from which geothermally heated water issues.
- Hydrothermal vents are commonly found near volcanically active places, areas where tectonic plates are moving apart, ocean basins, and hotspots. Hydrothermal vents exist because the earth is both geologically active and has large amounts of water on its surface and within its crust.
- Common land types include hot springs, fumaroles and geysers.
- Active hydrothermal vents are believed to exist on Jupiter's moon Europa, and Saturn's moon Enceladus, and ancient hydrothermal vents have been speculated to exist on Mars.
