Collaborative Research: Time Series Responses to Mid-Ocean Ridge Volcanic Event: Juan de Fuca and Gorda Ridges

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Ridge axis diking/eruptive events are episodic perturbations that trigger a sequence of interrelated and rapidly evolving physical, chemical, and biological processes associated with the formation of ocean crust. Volcanic activity produces hydrothermal dischage with a distinct geochemical signature, and triggers specific geochemical and microbial responses in the adjacent crust and overlying water-column. Observing and quantifying co-variation among related processes provides basic new constraints on presently immature models of submarine volcano-hydrothermal systems. Chemical and biological parameters within hydrothermal plumes change rapidly, with the steepest rate of change occurring over seconds to days following their discharge and subsequent mixing in the deep sea. Here we propose to mount comprehensive rapid and follow-up field responses to a remotely detected MOR volcanic event. Our project emphasizes time-series observations and experiments on key dynamic physical, geochemical, and geomicrobial properties of an evolving hydrothermal event plume. A rapid response to these events will allow us: (1) to obtain the initial flux--that unaffected by aging; (2) to study the chemical and biological evolution of hydrothermal event plumes, representing a natural, temporarily constrained experiment for monitoring transformations within hydrothermal effluents; (3) to exploit event plumes as an invaluable window to the subsurface biosphere.