Ocean science news, explainers, and statistics covering marine environments, currents, climate, coasts, seafloor research, and the changing global ocean.
Wave steepness is the ratio of wave height to wavelength. It describes how tall a wave is relative to the horizontal distance between its crests. A high ratio produces sharp slopes and an unstable-looking sea, while a low ratio describes a gentler profile even when the absolute height is substantial. The National Weather Service defines…
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Black smokers are hydrothermal vent chimneys that emit dark plumes rich in fine metal-sulfide particles. White smokers release paler fluids containing minerals such as barium, calcium and silicon compounds. The colors describe particles formed during mixing, not smoke from combustion. Black-smoker fluids are commonly hotter and rise more forcefully, while white-smoker fluids are often cooler…
Cold seeps release methane-rich or sulfide-rich fluids at temperatures close to surrounding seawater. Hydrothermal vents discharge water heated within ocean crust, often at hundreds of degrees Celsius. Both support food webs powered by chemical energy, yet their heat sources, chemistry, geological settings and lifespans differ. NOAA’s direct comparison of seeps and vents describes cold seeps…
Manganese nodules are rounded mineral concretions that grow on or just below the deep seafloor. They form when iron and manganese oxides precipitate in extremely thin layers around a nucleus such as a rock fragment, shark tooth or older nodule piece. Many also concentrate nickel, copper and cobalt, which drives interest in deep-sea mining. Growth…
