Water Column Survey of Hydrothermal Discharge Along the EastPacific Rise, 9 Degrees - 11 Degrees North

通过岩浆、构造和热液作用的复杂相互作用，沿着大洋中脊轴线形成新的洋壳。众所周知，这些过程沿着轴线变化很大，表现为隆起被转换断层和重叠的扩张中心包围的部分。沿大洋中脊的热液喷发是第一次有序的过程，这是从洋脊轴线损失的大部分热量的原因。该项目将确定沿地貌、地球物理和渗透率良好的热液喷发的分布、相对强度和一级化学特征。通过测量热液羽流的水柱，东太平洋已知的区段在北纬903N到1110N之间上升。之所以选择这一段海脊，是因为它经过了充分的研究，也因为它包括了大洋中脊岩浆供应丰富的部分，以及岩浆极度匮乏的部分。

New oceanic crust forms along the mid.ocean ridge axis by a complex interplay of magmatic, tectonic, and hydrothermal processes. These processes are known to vary significantly along the axis, as manifested by the division of the ridge into segments bounded by transform faults and overlapping spreading centers. Hydrothermal venting along the mid.ocean ridge is a first.order process that is responsibe for much of the heat loss from the ridge axis. This project will determine the distributions, relative intensity, and first.order chemical characteristics of hydrothermal venting along the morphologically, geophysically, and pertologically well.known segments of the East Pacific Rise between 9 03N and 11 10N by surveying the water column for hydrothermal plumes. This section of the ridge was chosen because it is well.studied, and because it encompasses portions of mid.ocean ridge with high magma supply as well as portions that are magmatically starved.