Collaborative Research: Integrated Hydrothermal and Petrological Studies of the Eastern Lau Spreading Center

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The Eastern Lau Spreading Center in the Lau Basin has been chosen an an integrated studies site by the Ridge 2000 program to understand a back-arc spreading center from mantle to microbe. This spreading center has a continuous gradient in the subduction influence that is characteristic of back-arc basin basalts, and the spreading rate changes by nearly a factor of two. Hydrothermal discovery is the driving force behind the logistic plan of this project. Two previous cruises to the spreading center will provide bathymetry and side-scan data. This project will use the ROV ABE to survey six target regions for water column properties at depths that traverse the neutrally buoyant plume. ABE dives at a height above bottom of 50m will obtain high-resolution bathymetry as well as water column measurements. ABE dives at a height of 5-10m will then provide complete photo coverage of the discovered vent sites.