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Volcanically hosted venting with indications of ultramafic influence at Aurora hydrothermal field on Gakkel Ridge

Author

Listed:
  • Christopher R. German

    (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)

  • Eoghan P. Reeves

    (University of Bergen)

  • Andreas Türke

    (University of Bergen
    University of Bremen
    University of Bremen)

  • Alexander Diehl

    (University of Bremen
    University of Bremen)

  • Elmar Albers

    (University of Bremen)

  • Wolfgang Bach

    (University of Bremen
    University of Bremen)

  • Autun Purser

    (Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar & Marine Research)

  • Sofia P. Ramalho

    (Department of Biology, University of Aveiro)

  • Stefano Suman

    (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)

  • Christian Mertens

    (University of Bremen
    University of Bremen)

  • Maren Walter

    (University of Bremen
    University of Bremen)

  • Eva Ramirez-Llodra

    (Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA)
    REV Ocean)

  • Vera Schlindwein

    (University of Bremen
    Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar & Marine Research)

  • Stefan Bünz

    (University of Tromso–The Arctic University of Norway)

  • Antje Boetius

    (University of Bremen
    Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar & Marine Research
    Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology)

Abstract

The Aurora hydrothermal system, Arctic Ocean, hosts active submarine venting within an extensive field of relict mineral deposits. Here we show the site is associated with a neovolcanic mound located within the Gakkel Ridge rift-valley floor, but deep-tow camera and sidescan surveys reveal the site to be ≥100 m across—unusually large for a volcanically hosted vent on a slow-spreading ridge and more comparable to tectonically hosted systems that require large time-integrated heat-fluxes to form. The hydrothermal plume emanating from Aurora exhibits much higher dissolved CH4/Mn values than typical basalt-hosted hydrothermal systems and, instead, closely resembles those of high-temperature ultramafic-influenced vents at slow-spreading ridges. We hypothesize that deep-penetrating fluid circulation may have sustained the prolonged venting evident at the Aurora hydrothermal field with a hydrothermal convection cell that can access ultramafic lithologies underlying anomalously thin ocean crust at this ultraslow spreading ridge setting. Our findings have implications for ultra-slow ridge cooling, global marine mineral distributions, and the diversity of geologic settings that can host abiotic organic synthesis - pertinent to the search for life beyond Earth.

Suggested Citation

  • Christopher R. German & Eoghan P. Reeves & Andreas Türke & Alexander Diehl & Elmar Albers & Wolfgang Bach & Autun Purser & Sofia P. Ramalho & Stefano Suman & Christian Mertens & Maren Walter & Eva Ram, 2022. "Volcanically hosted venting with indications of ultramafic influence at Aurora hydrothermal field on Gakkel Ridge," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-022-34014-0
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34014-0
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Henry J. B. Dick & Jian Lin & Hans Schouten, 2003. "An ultraslow-spreading class of ocean ridge," Nature, Nature, vol. 426(6965), pages 405-412, November.
    2. H. N. Edmonds & P. J. Michael & E. T. Baker & D. P. Connelly & J. E. Snow & C. H. Langmuir & H. J. B. Dick & R. Mühe & C. R. German & D. W. Graham, 2003. "Discovery of abundant hydrothermal venting on the ultraslow-spreading Gakkel ridge in the Arctic Ocean," Nature, Nature, vol. 421(6920), pages 252-256, January.
    3. P. J. Michael & C. H. Langmuir & H. J. B. Dick & J. E. Snow & S. L. Goldstein & D. W. Graham & K. Lehnert & G. Kurras & W. Jokat & R. Mühe & H. N. Edmonds, 2003. "Magmatic and amagmatic seafloor generation at the ultraslow-spreading Gakkel ridge, Arctic Ocean," Nature, Nature, vol. 423(6943), pages 956-961, June.
    4. W. Jokat & O. Ritzmann & M. C. Schmidt-Aursch & S. Drachev & S. Gauger & J. Snow, 2003. "Geophysical evidence for reduced melt production on the Arctic ultraslow Gakkel mid-ocean ridge," Nature, Nature, vol. 423(6943), pages 962-965, June.
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