White smoker hydrothermal vents. White flocculent mats around extremely gassy high temperature white smokers at the Champagne Vent Site, Mariana Arc region, Western Pacific Ocean. White smokers are seabed volcanic vents where minerals dissolve in water superheated by magma (molten rock). The light-coloured minerals precipitate out on contact with the cold surrounding water, producing pale 'smoke'. The minerals form crusts or mats around the vents over time. White smokers tend have lower-temperature smoke plumes than black smokers. Mariana Arc region, Western Pacific Ocean.