<Bill_A_Nussbaumer at bd.com> wrote in message
news:OF089F90C1.7964D131-ON85256B8A.004D739B at bd.com...
>> Another point is that organisms don't live at 400C. They live in the area
> surrounding thermal vents where the temperature quickly drops off. The
> current known record holder is Pyrolobus fumarii which is capable of
living
> at a maximum temperature of 113C. Organisms are also living in other high
> temperature environments under little to no additional pressure in such
> places as the hot springs and geysers of Yellowstone National Park in
> Wyoming, USA.. I'm not positive of the temperatures in these environments
> but I think scientists have located organisms growing at least as high as
> 80C.
>Pyrococcus furiosus and P. woesei both have growth optima at around 100C,
and maxima at 103-105C. Members of the Thermoproteales have growth optima
between 85-105C. Note that these measurements are all done in the lab -
thus at 1 atmosphere (especially here, where we are right at sea level).
Your point is a good one - there is an extreme temperature gradient around
the black smokers - even on the outside of the chimney (as opposed to in the
centre of the water stream) the temperature is far from 400C.
Lesley Robertson
Delft
http://www.beijerinck.bt.tudelft.nl
