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White Smoker

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Encyclopedia of Astrobiology

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Definition

A white smoker is a hydrothermal vent emitting very alkaline hydrothermal fluids on the ocean floor. These fluids are cooler (260–300 °C) than those emitted by the black smokers (360 °C) and are sited away, or “off axis,” from the mid-ocean ridge. Interaction of downward-seeping seawater with mafic or ultramafic rocks produces an alkaline fluid that precipitates silica and Ba- or Ca-sulfates when it mixes with seawater, hence the white color. The interface between hot and alkaline hydrothermal fluids and seawater is believed to have provided the conditions required for the emergence of life. A notable example of white smoker’ fields is Lost City Hydrothermal Field (or simply Lost City). This hydrothermal vent field located in central Atlantic Ocean, is a site of ultramafic-hosted serpentinization, abiotically producing molecules such as methane which are fundamental to microbial life.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Emeritus Professor, ISTerre, University Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France

    Nicholas Arndt

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  1. Nicholas Arndt
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Correspondence to Nicholas Arndt .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Bordeaux, University of Bordeaux, Pessac CX, France

    Muriel Gargaud

  2. Department of Astronomy, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA

    William M. Irvine

  3. Centro Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Univ. Autónoma de Madrid Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain

    Ricardo Amils

  4. Analytical-, Environm., Geo-Chemistry, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, VUB, Brussels, Belgium

    Philippe Claeys

  5. Earth-Life Science Institute, Tokyo Institute of Technology, WASHINGTON, DC, USA

    Henderson James Cleaves

  6. Radio Astronomy, Paris Observatory, Paris, France

    Maryvonne Gerin

  7. Observatoire de Paris-Meudon, Meudon, France

    Daniel Rouan

  8. International Space Science Institute, Bern, Bern, Switzerland

    Tilman Spohn

  9. Centre Francois Viète, Universite de Nantes, Nantes, France

    Stéphane Tirard

  10. Innovaxiom, Paris CX, France

    Michel Viso

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Arndt, N. (2022). White Smoker. In: Gargaud, M., et al. Encyclopedia of Astrobiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1691-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1691-4

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-27833-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-27833-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Physics and AstronomyReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Chemistry, Materials and Physics

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Chapter history

  1. Latest

    White Smoker
    Published:
    17 January 2023

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1691-4

  2. Original

    White Smoker
    Published:
    16 April 2015

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1691-3

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