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Niua North
MGDS_FeatureID lowest in hierarchy:
Vent Sites:
Hellow
Mussel Mania
Activity:
Max Temperature Category:
Latitude:
-15.0667
Longitude:
-173.5667
Location on map:
Ocean:
Region:
National Jurisdiction:
Maximum or Single Reported Depth (mbsl):
1375
Minimum Depth (mbsl):
700
Tectonic setting:
Host Rock:
NotProvided
Deposit Type:
NotProvided
Notes on Vent Field Description:
2012 cruise blog, accessed 24 April 2015, http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/12fire/logs/sept22/sept22.html: "had no chimneys. Instead it had jets of sulfur shooting out from many holes in the sediment-covered seafloor."; 2012 cruise blog, accessed 24 April 2015, http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/12fire/logs/summary/summary.html: "Niua North, with its profuse venting of magmatic gases and sulfur volcanism, contrasts dramatically with the (presumably) more deeply rooted Niua South magma source with its extensive black smoker vent fields."; video of sulfur plume, dive Q330, accessed 24 April 2015, http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/12fire/media/12firestream_playlist.html#; Merle et al. (2008): tow NELSC, t08c14; Baker et al. 2019: site 32 in Table 2;
Notes Relevant to Biology:
2012 cruise blog, accessed 24 April 2015, http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/12fire/logs/sept22/sept22.html: "inhabited by shrimp with microbial mat in its sulfur pits; a mussel filled summit was also observed with a few crabs and even fewer snails."; 2012 cruise blog, accessed 24 April 2015, http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/12fire/logs/summary/summary.html: "tubeworm was found in low densities"; video of mussel beds, dive Q330, accessed 24 April 2015, http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/12fire/media/12firestream_playlist.html#
Year and How Discovered (if active, visual confirmation is listed first):
2012 ROV Quest 4000; 2008 plume only
Discovery References (text):
Merle, S., et al. (2008) Northeast Lau Basin, R/V Thompson Expedition TN227, November 13-28, 2008, Apia to Apia, Western Samoa. Cruise report. Accessed 8 May 2015, http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/eoi/laubasin/documents/tn227-nelau-report-final.pdf.
Other References (text):
Baker ET, Walker SL, Massoth GJ and Resing JA (2019) The NE Lau Basin: Widespread and Abundant Hydrothermal Venting in the Back-Arc Region Behind a Superfast Subduction Zone. Front. Mar. Sci. 6:382. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2019.00382;
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