Scientists Discover Massive Methane-Based Ecosystem
Seep Mussels Image courtesy of Deepwater Canyons 2013 Expedition, NOAA-OER/BOEM/USGS It's only the third cold seep discovered off the U.S. Atlantic Coast, and it could help researchers understand how life exists in harsh environments, including potentially on other planets. Scientists on a research mission sponsored by the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have found what could be the U.S. Atlantic Coast's largest methane cold seep near Virginia. Cold seeps are regions in the sea floor where fluid rich in compounds like methane flows out at the same temperature as the surrounding ocean water (in contrast to the hot water that seeps from hydrothermal vents). Methane seeps allow life to flourish in otherwise fairly barren deep sea environments. This is the third seep documented on the Atlantic Coast, and is much bigger than previously discovered sites, with areas up to a kilometer long and hundreds...