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Edison Seamount
Name Alias(es):
Vent Sites:
Mussel Cliff
North Field Clam Bed
South Field Clam Bed
Activity:
Maximum Temperature:
Latitude:
-3.3100
Longitude:
152.5800
Location on map:
Ocean:
Region:
National Jurisdiction:
Maximum or Single Reported Depth (mbsl):
1450
Minimum Depth (mbsl):
Tectonic setting:
Full Spreading Rate (mm/a):
Host Rock:
NotProvided
Deposit Type:
LTH
Notes on Vent Field Description:
two distinct areas of venting, 100-200 m in diameter, high H2S content but no sulfide deposits, strong CH4 anomalies, low temperature; note: vent list in Gebruk (2002) textbook also includes "Mussel Cliff" just to the east of Edison Seamount; Herzig et al. (1998) and Stecher et al. (2003) suggest that this site is a "blur" between hydrothermal and cold seep site; listed as unconfirmed because no temperature measurement provided in refs; submarine volcano in rifted forearc, New Ireland Fore-Arc Basin
Notes Relevant to Biology:
Vesicomyidae, worms, gastropods, galatheids, shrimps, actinians; see Herzig et al. (1998)
Year and How Discovered (if active, visual confirmation is listed first):
1994 and 1998 TV grab sampling did not confirm hydrothermal activity
Discovery References (text):
[Herzig, P.M. and M. D. Hannington (1995) Hydrothermal activity, vent fauna, and submarine gold mineralization at alkaline fore-arc seamounts near Lihir Island, Papua New Guinea. Proceedings Pacific Rim Congress 1995, Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, 279-284].
Other References (text):
Herzig et al. (1998) Petrology, gold mineralization and biological communities at shallow submarine volcanoes of the New Ireland Fore-Arc (Papua New Guinea): Preliminary results of R/V Sonne cruise SO-133. InterRidge News 7(2): 34-38
Schmidt et al. (2002) Seeping hydrocarbons and related carbonate mineralisations in sediments south of Lihir Island (New Ireland fore arc basin, Papua New Guinea). Chemical Geology 186: 249-264
Stecher et al (2003) Population characteristics of abundant bivalves (Mollusca, Vesicomyidae) at a sulphide-rich seafloor site near Lihir Island, Papua New Guinea. Can. J. Zool. 81: 1815-1824.
RDF link: