RAPID: Opportunistic Sampling and Preliminary Investigation of Unique Thermal Springs at the Zambales Ophiolite, Philippines

这项研究涉及快速反应活动，允许对菲律宾Zambales蛇绿岩中一个独特且具有重要科学意义的热液泉系统进行研究和采样，该系统可能因计划于2010年中期开始的开发而受到严重损害或破坏。这些温泉很不寻常，可能是陆地上的类似物，类似于十年前在大西洋中脊发现的失落之城系统。由于“失落之城”系统位于海面以下数千米，因此取样和研究成本高昂，难度很大，因此研究一种可能的陆地模拟物，如赞巴莱斯蛇绿岩的模拟物，对于经济有效地提高我们对潜艇系统的理解至关重要。将对赞巴勒泉中的岩石、气体、液体和微生物进行取样和检查。研究目标是确定驱动该地点化学和热特征的地下水-岩石反应，以及收集生活在这些化学敌对极端环境中的微生物样本，并与合作者一起确定其遗传学。这项工作的更广泛影响包括菲律宾科学家之间的国际合作和科学合作；培养3名研究生；以及来自科学界代表性不足群体的PI的支持。

This research involves rapid-response activities that allow the study and sampling of a unique and scientifically important hydrothermal spring system in the Zambales ophiolite in the Philippines that is likely to be severely compromised or destroyed by development slated to begin in mid-2010. The springs are unusual and may be terrestrial analogs to undersea ultramafic-hosted hydrothermal vent systems, such as the Lost City system that was discovered a decade ago on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Because the Lost City system is costly and difficult to sample and study due to its location thousands of meters below the sea surface, the study of a possible terrestrial analog such as the one at the Zambales ophiolite is crucial for cost effectively improving our understanding of the submarine systems. Rocks, gases, fluids, and microbes from the Zambales springs will be sampled and examined. Research goals are to determine the subsurface water-rock reactions that are driving the chemical and thermal signatures of the site, as well as collect samples of microbes that live in these chemically hostile extreme environments and work with collaborators to determine their genetics. Broader impacts of the work include international collaboration and scientific cooperation between Philippine scientists; training of three graduate students; and support of a PI from a group under-represented in the sciences.