Collaborative Research: Towards Quantifying Elemental Fluxes and Fluid Origins Using Novel Submarine Instrumentation

在这个项目中，来自夏威夷大学斯克里普斯海洋学研究所和阿拉斯加大学费尔班克斯分校的一组研究人员将开发和测试新的海底技术，以原位测量海底边缘环境中元素（包括挥发性）通量的规模，并捕获流体的时间记录，以进行相关的同位素分析。同位素研究将包括含碳物种（CH4和CO2）和轻惰性气体（He, Ne, Ar）的稳定同位素系统。通过为两个互补的仪器制定采样和部署策略——Mass SURFER和CA计（记录流体通量速率并保存样品以供以后分析）一起测量现场浓度，该团队将通过这一重要但迄今为止很大程度上被忽视的途径，对海洋和大气中许多元素的损失率做出新的估计。本研究的主要焦点将是两种仪器套件的开发和相互比较。在大多数情况下，这种开发将在实验室和蒙特利湾地区的一些特征良好的流体中进行。这些技术独特的分析能力为未来在边缘和其他海底环境中的研究提供了巨大的潜力。除了沿美国太平洋沿岸的发展工作外，主要的科学重点地区将是哥斯达黎加边缘地区，边缘社区确定该地区为特别适合多学科方法的两个指定研究地区之一。研究组计划对尼科亚半岛和奥萨半岛之间的前弧地区进行调查，在那里，海底山的俯冲破坏了前弧，并允许流体沿着正常断层渗漏。这项研究将解决的关键问题是这些泄漏流体的性质和来源，以及流量和/或化学成分是否存在时间变化。该项目的长期目标是量化通过活跃的弧前边缘流入海洋和大气的元素损失率，并确定渗漏变异性是否与地震有关。研究人员认为，这项研究将提供一个独特的机会，以了解与俯冲过程相关的控制碳释放和运动的因素，并对陆地碳循环中这一重要但研究较少的部分的挥发物通量进行定量限制。

ABSTRACTOCE-0242034 / OCE-0242089 / OCE-0242091In this project, a team of researchers from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of Hawaii, and the University of Alaska at Fairbanks will develop and test new submarine technology to both measure in-situ the scale of the elemental (including volatile) flux from submarine margin environments as well as to capture a temporal record of the fluids for associated isotopic analyses. The isotopic studies will include the stable isotope systematics of carbon-bearing species (CH4 and CO2) and the light noble gases (He, Ne, Ar). By developing sampling and deployment strategies for two complementary instruments -the Mass SURFER which measures concentrations in-situ together with the CA meter which records fluid flux rates and preserves samples for later analyses - the team will make new estimates of the rate of loss to the ocean and atmosphere for a number of elements via this important, but hitherto largely neglected, pathway. A major focus of this study will be development of and inter-comparison between the two instrument packages. For the most part, this development will occur in the laboratory and at a number of well-characterized fluids in the Monterey Bay region. The unique analytical capability of these technologies holds great potential for future studies in margin and other submarine environments.In addition to development work along the Pacific coast of the United States, the chief scientific focus area will be the Costa Rica margin, an area identified by the MARGINS community as one of two designated study areas particularly amenable to a multi-disciplinary approach. The research team plans to investigate the forearc region between the Nicoya and Osa peninsulas where subducting seamounts have disrupted the forearc and allowed seepage of fluids along normal faults. The key questions that will be addressed with this study are the nature and sources of these leaking fluids and whether that there are temporal variations in both flow rate and/or chemistry. The longer-term objectives of the project are to quantify the rate of elemental loss to the ocean and atmosphere via this active fore-arc margin and to determine if seepage variability and earthquakes are linked. The investigators believe that this the study will afford a unique opportunity to understand the factors controlling the release and movement of carbon associated with the subduction process and to place quantitative constraints on the flux of volatiles from this vital yet poorly studied segment of the terrestrial carbon cycle.