Hydrothermal vents presentation

Alterations of Earth’s crust and seawater caused by hydrothermal vent activity of black smokers at mid-ocean ridges

Lizzy PennockMARE 461December 1st, 2014

Mid-Ocean Ridge• Formation• Divergence of plates• Heat source• Permeable crust

• Hydrothermal circulation of seawater• Transformation into ‘vent water’

Black Smoker Overview• Hydrothermal vent• 300-400°C• Rich in metals• Create chimneys and massive plumes

Chimney

Purpose

• Explore process of hydrothermal circulation at black smokers

• Chemical changes of seawater and crust

The Recharge Zone

• Water enters crust• Oxidation • At the end of this

phase:• Slightly acidic• Anoxic• Alkali metals• Mg depleted

The Reaction Zone

• Maximum depth • Hottest

• Sulfur leaching• Heavy metals• Final alterations

The Upflow Zone

• Buoyant water• Reactions unknown• Alteration pipe• Mixing

Seawater vs. Vent water

Crust Alterations

Green bars: min. estimates of element fluxes Purple bars: max. estimates

Conclusion

• Chemical alterations• Three phases• Vent water

Questions?

Picture Credit• http://www.whoi.edu/page.do?

pid=10095&tid=3622&cid=2401• http://

jjustinianomarinescience.weebly.com/introduction-to-mid-ocean-ridges.html• http

://www2.newton.k12.ma.us/~brendan_healy/S0998A270.7/Chapter%201%20Sec%201.4.pdf • http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/07fire/logs/

july31/media/brothers_blacksmoker.html • http://www.visions05.washington.edu/science/

investigations/smoker_dev.html