Old Smokey

Old Smokey is the oldest black smoker on Sagan 4. It has been around since life first arrived on the planet. It also sustains the oldest living species, protohydroia octherma. Without its minerals octherma could have not survived. Over the millions of years it has grown tall and then the tip falls off after around 1 kilometer. Its temperature can reach temperatures of 400 °C. It does not usually boil at the vents because the water pressure at that depth exceeds the vapor pressure of the aqueous solution.