Collaborative Research: Integrating Geochemistry, Microbiology, and Hydrodynamics: A Model for Trace Element Transport and Fate in Hydrothermal Plumes

虽然热液羽流随着时间的推移对海洋化学产生了重大影响，但对发生在上升喷口羽流中的化学和生物过程仍知之甚少，大多数矿物沉淀和氧化还原化学都发生在这些羽流中。 本研究涉及早期热液喷口羽流过程中的非生物和生物因素，以及这些过程对颗粒形成、微生物群落组成和结构以及有机物质和矿物沉淀物的化学清除和迁移的影响。 将使用最先进的矿物学和分子生物学技术分析2009年在东刘扩散中心的航行中收集的喷口流体、相关沉淀矿物和微生物样品。其中包括同步辐射X射线吸收和衍射，使用伯克利的先进光源和宏基因组学。 研究的目标是确定栖息在上升羽流中的微生物群落、羽流中生活/产生的微生物和有机物质在颗粒形成和聚集中的作用、从喷口到羽流顶部羽流化学的化学趋势及其对微生物物种分布的影响，以及颗粒聚集体是否影响随后的化学演变和颗粒的命运。 将开发矿物学和生物学相互作用模型，并与模拟上升羽流流体动力学的模型相结合，以模拟喷口羽流过程。这项工作的更广泛影响包括对三名早期职业科学家的支持，其中一人来自科学界代表性不足的性别。教与学的整合，包括将研究纳入课堂，并努力将研究结果纳入高中学生和教师的夏令营。来自代表性不足的少数民族的两名本科暑期学生也将参与这项研究。

Although hydrothermal plumes, over time, have had a significant impact on ocean chemistry, much remains unknown about the chemical and biological processes that occur in rising vent plumes where most mineral precipitation and redox chemistry occurs. This research addresses the abiotic and biological factors in early-stage hydrothermal vent plume processes and the impacts of these processes on particle formation, microbial community composition and structure, and chemical scavenging and transport by both organic material and mineral precipitates. Vent fluids, associated precipitated minerals and microbial samples that were collected on a cruise to the Eastern Lau Spreading Center in 2009 will be analyzed using state-of-the-art mineralogical and molecular biological techniques. These include synchrotron radiation X-ray adsorption and diffraction using the Advanced Light Source in Berkeley and metagenomics. Goals of the research are to determine the microbiological communities inhabiting the rising plumes, the role of plume-living/generated microbes and organic matter in particle formation and aggregation, chemical trends in plume chemistry from the vent to the top of the plume and its influence on the distribution of microbial species, and if particle aggregates influence the subsequent chemical evolution and fate of the particles. Models of mineralogical and biological interactions will be developed and coupled with those simulating hydrodynamics of the rising plume in order to simulate vent plume processes. Broader impacts of the work include support of three early career scientists, one of whom is from a gender under-represented in the sciences. The integration of teaching and learning which includes incorporating research into classes and working to include results into a summer camp for high school students and teachers. Two undergraduate summer students from under-represented minorities will also be involved in the research.