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

尽管随着时间的推移，热液羽流对海洋化学产生了重大影响，但在大多数矿物沉淀和氧化还原化学发生的上升的喷口羽流中发生的化学和生物过程仍然未知。本研究探讨了早期热液喷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和矿物沉淀物的化学清除和运输的影响。2009年在前往东劳扩散中心的游轮上收集的喷口流体、相关沉淀矿物和微生物样本将使用最先进的矿物学和分子生物学技术进行分析。这些包括同步辐射x射线吸附和衍射使用先进的光源伯克利和宏基因组学。研究的目标是确定居住在上升羽流中的微生物群落，羽流生活/产生的微生物和有机物在颗粒形成和聚集中的作用，从喷口到羽流顶部的羽流化学化学趋势及其对微生物物种分布的影响，以及颗粒聚集是否影响随后的化学演化和颗粒的命运。将开发矿物学和生物相互作用的模型，并将其与模拟上升羽流的流体动力学模型相结合，以模拟喷口羽流过程。这项工作的更广泛影响包括对三位早期职业科学家的支持，其中一位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，并努力将结果纳入高中学生和教师的夏令营。来自少数族裔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.