MAR (Mid-Atlantic Ridge hydrothermal vents)

While MAR typically refers to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a major underwater mountain range, it is also associated with hydrothermal vents found along such spreading centers. These hydrothermal vents are fissures on the ocean floor where superheated, mineral-rich water escapes from beneath Earth's crust. They support unique ecosystems of specialized organisms that thrive in extreme conditions, independent of sunlight. The vents form when seawater seeps into the Earth's crust, gets heated by underlying magma, and re-emerges laden with minerals. These environments are important for studying Earth's geology, deep-sea biology, and the origins of life, highlighting the dynamic processes shaping our planet's underwater landscape.