We present a general description and preliminary estimation of the amount of geothermal convective energy contained in some submarine hydrothermal systems and escaping from the ocean floor through fissures and chimneys. Deep submarine energy is related to the existence of hydrothermal vents emerging in many places along the oceanic spreading centers between tectonic plates. These systems have a total length of approximately 65,000 km in the Earthís oceanic crust. Shallow submarine heat is related to faults and fractures in the sea bottom close to some coasts.

The deep resources are located at certain places along the rifts between tectonic plates of the oceanic crust at more than 2000 m below sea level. Shallow resources are found near to continental platforms at 20 m depth. Both types of resources exist in the Gulf of Calfornia in Mexico. The specific chemical characteristics of the submarine hydrothermal waters found in those systems, indicate that water-oceanic rock interactions occur at high temperature and high pressure conditions.

At the same time, submarine geothermal energy supports rich biological communities at depths where living organisms cannot use sunlight for photosynthesis. Recent research suggests that possible locations for the synthesis of chemicals needed for the origin of life could be submarine hydrothermal systems.

Press the Back button in your browser, or search again.

Copyright 2005, Stanford Geothermal Program: Readers who download papers from this site should honor the copyright of the original authors and may not copy or distribute the work further without the permission of the original publisher.