science
Polaris Hydrothermal Field
Beneath Arctic sea ice, warm fluids emerge through dark volcanic rock at Polaris.
The story behind the place
Researchers surveying the Gakkel Ridge found small clear-water vents, fractured basalt and patches of mineral deposits and microbial mats. These modest seafloor features contrast with the towering black smokers familiar from other vent fields. Chemical energy carried by the fluids can sustain microbial activity without sunlight. Polaris reveals an unexpectedly varied deep ocean far below the frozen surface.
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