You are here
Mariner
Name Alias(es):
plume 7, VFR
MGDS_FeatureID lowest in hierarchy:
Vent Sites:
Pisa Chimney
Snow Chimney
Crab Restaurant Chimney
Activity:
Maximum Temperature:
365
Latitude:
-22.1800
Longitude:
-176.6017
Location on map:
Ocean:
Region:
National Jurisdiction:
Maximum or Single Reported Depth (mbsl):
1910
Tectonic setting:
Full Spreading Rate (mm/a):
49.6
Host Rock:
BABB, MORB, low-K andesite, rhyolithe
Deposit Type:
NotProvided
Notes on Vent Field Description:
located on the eastern limb of overlapping spreading center (OSC), Valu Fa Ridge (VFR); "numerous lava domes with heights of 4–10 m and diameters of 20–40 m. Most of these domes are flat-topped, and some have craters. Other prominent bathymetric features are tall (10–27 m) narrow hydrothermal edifices that are not branched but instead taper"; "Compared with vent fields to the north, local faults and fissures are notably absent at Mariner"; "Hydrothermal activity at Mariner is primarily associated with vent pinnacles with hot (342–363°C) fluids emanating from close to their bases and part way up their sides"; cruise SS02/2003 summary (http://www.marine.csiro.au/nationalfacility/voyagedocs/2003/0203s.htm): "we discovered new strong plumes (nephelometry, thermal, and Eh) ... northern end of the Vai Lili section... Two camera tows along the axis of the Ridge in the vicinity of the plume north of Vai Lili revealed a ... single small fluid vent", "a few minutes of video revealed a sandy sedimented bottom with a few pillows, and a small chimney emitting clear fluid"; located within Nautilus Minerals tenement
Notes Relevant to Biology:
photo of Pisa Chimney with shrimp in R2K Newsletter (2008); Lau Geomicrobiology cruise website, accessed 13 May 2015, http://laugeomicro2015.blogspot.com/2015/05/tubeworms-seen-at-mariner.html: "Sulfide levels are quite low at Mariner relative to other deep-sea vent sites where tubeworms thrive, so it is indeed curious that we found them here."
Year and How Discovered (if active, visual confirmation is listed first):
2003 plume and camera tow; 2004 submersible Shinkai 6500
Discovery References (text):
cruise SS02/2003 summary (http://www.marine.csiro.au/nationalfacility/voyagedocs/2003/0203s.htm)
Ishibashi et al. (2006) Expedition reveals changes in Lau Basin hydrothermal system, Eos Trans. AGU, 87(2), 13, doi:10.1029/2006EO020001.
Other References (text):
(plume only) Baker, E.T. et al. (2005) Hydrothermal activity on near-arc sections of back-arc ridges: results from the Mariana Trough and Lau Basin. Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst. 6: Q09001, doi:10.1029/2005GC000948
Ferrini, V. et al. (2008) Variable morphologic expression of volcanic, tectonic, and hydrothermal processes at six hydrothermal vent fields in the Lau back-arc basin. GEOCHEMISTRY GEOPHYSICS GEOSYSTEMS, VOL. 9, Q07022, doi:10.1029/2008GC002047
Takai et al. (2008) Variability in the microbial communities and hydrothermal fluid chemistry at the newly discovered Mariner hydrothermal field, southern Lau Basin. Journal of Geophysical Research 113(G2): C02031.1-C02031.25.
RDF link: