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Uka Pacha

Name Alias(es): 
Area 2A plume target
MGDS_FeatureID lowest in hierarchy: 
Vent Sites: 
Max Temperature Category: 
Latitude: 
0.7700
Longitude: 
-88.3000
Location on map: 
Ocean: 
National Jurisdiction: 
Maximum or Single Reported Depth (mbsl): 
2100
Tectonic setting: 
Full Spreading Rate (mm/a): 
59.3
Volcano Number (if applicable): 
Host Rock: 
NotProvided
Deposit Type: 
NotProvided
Notes on Vent Field Description: 
position and depth approximated from GMRT, accessed 24 April 2015, GeoMapApp; 2011 cruise blog, accessed 24 April 2015, http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/okeanos/explorations/ex1103/logs/summary/summary.html: "Five ROV dives near 88.3 W, the location of the largest hydrothermal plume signal, found recently-erupted lava flows spread over at least 14 km, and several regions of vigorous diffuse venting. At two sites, white flocculent material - potentially microbial in origin - issued from the vents in a “snow-blower” fashion. Two newly named vent fields, Uka Pacha and Pegasus, featured white microbial mats blanketing extensive areas along the base and sides of the axial graben.", "Extinct hydrothermal sulfide chimneys over 30-m tall were discovered within 2 km of the active vents"; 2011 cruise blog, accessed 24 April 2015, http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/okeanos/explorations/ex1103/logs/july18/july18.html: "Over the first few dives at Area 2A we saw two sites separated by ~9 miles with young lavas and intense “diffuse” venting with only a few mobile species that are “vent specific”"; Baker et al. (2011): "entire GALREX survey detected ~20 discrete ORP anomalies... Because ORP anomalies are very short lived, and thus do not advect far from their seafloor source, at least ~20 distinct vent "fields" must be active"
Notes Relevant to Biology: 
2011 cruise blog, accessed 24 April 2015, http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/okeanos/explorations/ex1103/logs/summary/summary.html: "Sessile fauna were not observed and mobile organisms were scarce"
Year and How Discovered (if active, visual confirmation is listed first): 
2011 ROV Little Hercules
Discovery References (text): 
Shank, T., et al. (2011) Discovery of Nascent Vents and Recent Colonization Associated with (Re)activated Hydrothermal Vent Fields by the GALREX 2011 Expedition on the Galápagos Rift. American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2011, abstract #OS22A-07.
Baker, E., et al. (2011) GALREX 2011: Extensive hydrothermal venting discovered along the eastern Galapagos Rift. American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2011, abstract #OS22A-08.
Other References (text): 
Shank, T., et al. (2012) Exploration of the deepwater Galapagos region. Oceanography, 25(1), Suppl. 50-51.