NOAA rendering of a brine pool in the Gulf of Mexico.

Brine pools are large areas of brine on the ocean basin near cold seep vents which release methane into the water. These pools are concentrations of water having an extremely high salinity as compared to the surrounding ocean, caused by the motion of large salt deposits through salt tectonics. Methane is also in high concentration in these areas, providing energy by the process of chemosynthesis to creatures which live in the pool's vicinity. These creatures are often extremophiles.^[1] The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is a scientific agency of the United States Department of Commerce focused on the conditions of the oceans and the atmosphere. ... Gulf of Mexico in 3D perspective. ... Brine is water saturated or nearly saturated with salt. ... The worlds oceans as seen from the South Pacific Ocean, before the definition of the Southern Ocean in 2000 Oceans (from Okeanos in Greek) are saline waters that cover almost three quarters (71%) of the surface of the Earth. ... Tubeworms, soft corals and chemosynthetic mussels at a seep located 3,000 metres down on the Florida Escarpment. ... Methane is a significant and plentiful fuel which is the principal component of natural gas. ... Annual mean sea surface salinity for the World Ocean. ... Sodium chloride, also known as common salt, table salt, or halite, is a chemical compound with the formula NaCl. ... Chemosynthesis is the biological conversion of 1-carbon molecules (usually carbon dioxide or methane) and nutrients into organic matter using the oxidation of inorganic molecules (e. ... An extremophile is an organism, usually unicellular, which thrives in or requires extreme conditions. ...

Characteristics of brine pools

Brine pools are considered "lakes" within the ocean by many oceanographers. This is due to the high salinity of the water in the pool, which prevents water of lower salinity from entering and creates a distinct surface and shoreline for the pool.^[2]

References