Geysers and Hydrothermal Vents: Springs of the Great Deep?
by Owen Borville
December 26, 2018
Geology
Geysers and hydrothermal vents can be evidence for the fountains or springs of the great deep described in the Book of Genesis (7:11) and the Genesis Flood source. According to the United States Geological Survey, geysers are land-based springs that periodically discharge hot springs driven by steam and non-condensable gas such as CO2. With less than 1,000 worldwide, 200–500 of these occur in the geyser basins of Yellowstone National Park. Could these geysers be a remnant of the springs of the great deep mentioned in the Book of Genesis? Geysers occur in volcanic regions and have many similarities to volcanoes, but are smaller and erupt more frequently. In addition to Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, geysers also occur in Nevada, New Zealand, East Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, Northern Chile, Brazil, Iceland, China, Indonesia, Japan, and Turkey.
Most of these geysers occur along major plate tectonic boundaries, and in addition require an abundant supply of water, heat, fractures, and porous rock that enables the water and steam to exit the surface. Geysers, hot springs, and fumaroles are all types of hydrothermal activity in which hot water, steam, and hot gases rise from the subsurface to the surface of the Earth. Many minerals are also formed as near boiling hot water and steam rise through the subsurface and react with the surrounding higher rock as cooling occurs. The many minerals that occur throughout the world in the subsurface and near surface are a product of the subterranean hot water from deep inside the earth rising toward the surface through fractures and crevices in the rock material. Diamonds form as volcanic pipes (kimberlite) at extremely high temperature rise through the surface and convert carbon into the cherished gemstone.
Hydrothermal vents are the ocean basin version of geysers and are defined as a fissure on the ocean floor where geothermally heated water is released from inside the earth. These hydrothermal vents are commonly located at volcanic hot spots on the ocean floor or near the tectonic plate boundaries. Hydrothermal vents on the ocean floor are often the home of diverse biological communities that grow in association with the unique chemistry from the vent fluids. When this hot hydrothermal mineral-rich water rises to the ocean floor and mixed with the cold ocean water, many minerals precipitate. Hydrothermal vents and geysers give evidence that there is much water stored inside the earth. In addition, this subterranean water was likely a major source of the floodwaters for the Genesis Flood, in addition to the 40 days of rain described in the Book of Genesis.
by Owen Borville
December 26, 2018
Geology
Geysers and hydrothermal vents can be evidence for the fountains or springs of the great deep described in the Book of Genesis (7:11) and the Genesis Flood source. According to the United States Geological Survey, geysers are land-based springs that periodically discharge hot springs driven by steam and non-condensable gas such as CO2. With less than 1,000 worldwide, 200–500 of these occur in the geyser basins of Yellowstone National Park. Could these geysers be a remnant of the springs of the great deep mentioned in the Book of Genesis? Geysers occur in volcanic regions and have many similarities to volcanoes, but are smaller and erupt more frequently. In addition to Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, geysers also occur in Nevada, New Zealand, East Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, Northern Chile, Brazil, Iceland, China, Indonesia, Japan, and Turkey.
Most of these geysers occur along major plate tectonic boundaries, and in addition require an abundant supply of water, heat, fractures, and porous rock that enables the water and steam to exit the surface. Geysers, hot springs, and fumaroles are all types of hydrothermal activity in which hot water, steam, and hot gases rise from the subsurface to the surface of the Earth. Many minerals are also formed as near boiling hot water and steam rise through the subsurface and react with the surrounding higher rock as cooling occurs. The many minerals that occur throughout the world in the subsurface and near surface are a product of the subterranean hot water from deep inside the earth rising toward the surface through fractures and crevices in the rock material. Diamonds form as volcanic pipes (kimberlite) at extremely high temperature rise through the surface and convert carbon into the cherished gemstone.
Hydrothermal vents are the ocean basin version of geysers and are defined as a fissure on the ocean floor where geothermally heated water is released from inside the earth. These hydrothermal vents are commonly located at volcanic hot spots on the ocean floor or near the tectonic plate boundaries. Hydrothermal vents on the ocean floor are often the home of diverse biological communities that grow in association with the unique chemistry from the vent fluids. When this hot hydrothermal mineral-rich water rises to the ocean floor and mixed with the cold ocean water, many minerals precipitate. Hydrothermal vents and geysers give evidence that there is much water stored inside the earth. In addition, this subterranean water was likely a major source of the floodwaters for the Genesis Flood, in addition to the 40 days of rain described in the Book of Genesis.
