Collaborative Research: Rapid Response to a Submarine Eruption at W. Mata Volcano

这项研究是由一个调查人员联盟进行的一次时间关键（快速）响应巡航，以检查西太平洋新发现的海底火山（马塔）。 活跃喷发的海底火山的发现是罕见的，将收集解决许多基本地质，热液，火山和生物问题的数据。 被调查的火山目前正在喷发成分不寻常的熔岩，表明电弧形成的初始阶段。 因此，它们具有不寻常的化学性质，被认为与具有异国情调和极端成分的热液流体有关。 与这些液体相关的新的和以前未发现的微生物生命形式的可能性是一个研究目标。 将测量火山口熔岩样品中的短寿命放射性同位素，以获得喷发时间轴。 共存的热液流体和喷发的熔岩样品将进行检查，以阐明挥发性和元素之间的分配固体和流体相在这种类型的岩浆作用的关系。 这项工作的更广泛影响包括研究生培训，支持其性别在科学领域代表性不足的PI，支持来自EPSCoR州机构的PI，以及公共宣传。 还将向汤加人民介绍研究活动和成果。

This research is a time critical (RAPID) response cruise by a coalition of investigators to examine a newly discovered explosively erupting undersea volcano (Mata) in the Western Pacific Ocean. The discovery of actively erupting undersea volcanoes is a rarity and data that addresses many fundamental geological, hydrothermal, volcanic, and biological issues will be collected. The volcano being investigated is presently erupting unusual lavas of compositions indicative of the initial stages of arc formation. As such they have an unusual chemistry and are thought to be associated with hydrothermal fluids of exotic and extreme compositions. The likelihood that novel and previously undiscovered microbiological life forms associated with these fluids is a study target. Short lived radiogenic isotopes in lava samples from the volcanic vent will be measured to obtain an eruptive timeline. Coexisting hydrothermal fluids and erupted lava samples will be examined to elucidate the relationship between volatile and element partitioning between solid and fluid phases during this type of magmatism. Broader impacts of the work include graduate student training, support of a PI whose gender is under-represented in the sciences, support of PIs from an institution in an EPSCoR state, and public outreach. Outreach to the Tongan people in terms of presentations on research activities and results will also be carried out.