Hydrothermal plume mapping as a prospecting tool for seafloor sulfide deposits: a case study at the Zouyu-1 and Zouyu-2 hydrothermal fields in the southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge |
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| Authors: | " target="_blank">Chunhui Tao Sheng Chen Edward T Baker Huaiming Li Jin Liang Shili Liao Yongshun John Chen Xianming Deng Guoyin Zhang Chunhua Gu Jialin Wu |
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| Institution: | 1.College of GeoExploration Science and Technology,Jilin University,Changchun,China;2.The Second Institute of Oceanography,State Oceanic Administration,Hangzhou,China;3.Joint Institute for the Study of the Atmosphere and Ocean—PMEL,University of Washington,Seattle,USA;4.Department of marine science and engineering,South University of Science and Technology of China,Shenzhen,China |
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| Abstract: | Seafloor hydrothermal polymetallic sulfide deposits are a new type of resource, with great potential economic value and good prospect development. This paper discusses turbidity, oxidation–reduction potential, and temperature anomalies of hydrothermal plumes from the Zouyu-1 and Zouyu-2 hydrothermal fields on the southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge. We use the known location of these vent fields and plume data collected in multiple years (2009, 2011, 2013) to demonstrate how real-time plume exploration can be used to locate active vent fields, and thus associated sulfide deposits. Turbidity anomalies can be detected 10 s of km from an active source, but the location precision is no better than a few kilometers because fine-grained particles are quasi-conservative over periods of many days. Temperature and oxidation–reduction potential anomalies provide location precision of a few hundred meters. Temperature anomalies are generally weak and difficult to reliably detect, except by chance encounters of a buoyant plume. Oxidation–reduction potential is highly sensitive (nmol concentrations of reduced hydrothermal chemicals) to discharges of all temperatures and responds immediately to a plume encounter. Real-time surveys using continuous tows of turbidity and oxidation–reduction potential sensors offer the most efficient and precise surface ship exploration presently possible. |
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