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| Lost City Hydrothermal Vent Field | |
|---|---|
| A series of vents on the Atlantis Massif. | |
02.jpg) The Lost City has numerous carbonate hydrothermal vents, including this chalky-white flange. | |
.svg)  | |
| Location | Mid-Atlantic Ridge |
| Coordinates | 30°07′0″N 42°07′0″W / 30.11667°N 42.11667°W |
| Area | 500 square metres (5,400 sq ft) |
| Max. elevation | −750 metres (−2,460 ft) |
| Min. elevation | −900 metres (−3,000 ft) |
The Lost City Hydrothermal Field, often referred to simply as Lost City, is an area of marine alkaline hydrothermal vents located on the Atlantis Massif at the intersection between the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the Atlantis Transform Fault, in the Atlantic Ocean. It is a long-lived site of active and inactive ultramafic-hosted serpentinization,[1] abiotically producing many simple molecules such as methane and hydrogen which are fundamental to microbial life. As such it has generated scientific interest as a prime location for investigating the origin of life on Earth and other planets similar to it.[2]
- ^ Ludwig, Kristin A.; Shen, Chuan-Chou; Kelley, Deborah S.; Cheng, Hai; Edwards, R. Lawrence (April 2011). "U–Th systematics and 230Th ages of carbonate chimneys at the Lost City Hydrothermal Field" (PDF). Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta. 75 (7): 1869–1888. Bibcode:2011GeCoA..75.1869L. doi:10.1016/j.gca.2011.01.008.
- ^ Levinson, Gene (2020). "Chapter 5: The Origin of Life". Rethinking evolution: the revolution that's hiding in plain sight. World Scientific. pp. 79–109. ISBN 9781786347268.