pl23_expl1162.jpg

Galapagos 2005 Expedition. The lava flows in the photo above are young, becausethey show little accumulation of sediment. However, these lava flows appear tobe coated with fine brown mud. This brown sediment is particulate iron oxideminerals that have fallen out of the plume of a nearby black smoker. Searchingnear this location led to discovery of black smokers.