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![Hydrothermal plume profiles in the middle and southern Okinawa Trough: (a) Mg²⁺ anomalies in the Iheya North and Clam hydrothermal fields; (b) Mg²⁺ anomalies in the Tangyin and Yonaguni Knoll IV hydrothermal fields; (c) SO42- anomalies in the Iheya North and Clam hydrothermal fields; (d) SO42- anomalies in the Tangyin and Yonaguni Knoll IV hydrothermal fields. Average seawater data from Turekian [50] and Millero [4].](publication/324239380/figure/fig24/AS:1086421087588354@1636034380024/Hydrothermal-plume-profiles-in-the-middle-and-southern-Okinawa-Trough-a-Mg-anomalies.jpg)
Hydrothermal plume profiles in the middle and southern Okinawa Trough: (a) Mg²⁺ anomalies in the Iheya North and Clam hydrothermal fields; (b) Mg²⁺ anomalies in the Tangyin and Yonaguni Knoll IV hydrothermal fields; (c) SO42- anomalies in the Iheya North and Clam hydrothermal fields; (d) SO42- anomalies in the Tangyin and Yonaguni Knoll IV hydrothermal fields. Average seawater data from Turekian [50] and Millero [4].
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Studies of the major components of hydrothermal plumes in seafloor hydrothermal fields are critical for an improved understanding of biogeochemical cycles and the large-scale distribution of elements in the submarine environment. The composition of major components in hydrothermal plume water column samples from 25 stations has been investigated in...
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... Previous systematic studies on mineralogy, geochemistry, and isotopes have been carried out in the Okinawa Trough [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14]. According to the existing geological and geophysical investigations, the Okinawa Trough is a back-arc basin, which is characterized by the development of brittle normal faults and frequent intrusion of magma, providing a favorable tectonic and magmatic environment for the development of hydrothermal systems [15]. ...
In this study, mineralogical and elemental geochemical characteristics of massive sulfide samples collected from the Jade hydrothermal field, located in the Izena depression in the central graben of the Okinawa Trough, were analyzed by means of optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). The results show that the mineralization in the Jade hydrothermal field can be divided into Zn-Cu-Pb-rich massive sulfides and Zn-Fe-rich massive sulfides. The former is composed of sphalerite, galena, chalcopyrite, pyrite, and anglesite, which is the product of the low-temperature alteration of galena. The latter is mainly composed of sphalerite, pyrite, marcasite, and traces of galena. Cu and Zn in pyrite may exist in the form of microinclusions, while Ag and Pb may exist in pyrite in the form of fine galena inclusions containing Ag. Fe and Cu may enter sphalerite in the form of ion replacement. Zn may enter chalcopyrite in the form of ion replacement. Consistent with the previous understanding, the metal elements in the hydrothermal liquid system in the Jade hydrothermal field mostly migrated as sulfur complexes, and when the hydrothermal fluid mixes with seawater, the physical and chemical conditions of the fluid change, resulting in sulfide mineral precipitation. However, the chemical structure of chalcopyrite is still controversial, which restricts the understanding of the substitution mechanism of trace elements during chalcopyrite precipitation.
... Most of the crust in the OT is transitional, although oceanic crust probably appears in some grabens in both the central and southern parts [32]. It provides a favorable geological environment for the development of seafloor hydrothermal systems [31][32][33][34]. ...
... As of 2015, the InterRidge Vents Database had recorded at least 15 deep-sea hydrothermal fields in the OT, including the Minami-Ensei [35]; Iheya North [36][37][38]; Jade [39,40]; Hakurei [41]; Irabu Knoll [42,43]; Hatoma [44,45]; Yonaguni Knoll IV [46][47][48] and Tangyin [34,49] hydrothermal fields. This study focuses on the Iheya North Knoll and Yonaguni Knoll IV hydrothermal fields. ...
The in situ element concentrations and the sulfur (S), and lead (Pb) isotopic compositions in anglesite were investigated for samples from seafloor hydrothermal fields in the Okinawa Trough (OT), Western Pacific. The anglesite grains are of two kinds: (1) low Pb/high S primary hydrothermal anglesite (PHA), which is formed by mixing of fluid and seawater, and (2) high Pb/low S secondary supergene anglesite (SSA), which is the product of low-temperature (<100 °C) alteration of galena in the seawater environment. The Ag and Bi in the SSA go through a second enrichment process during the formation of high Pb/low S anglesite by galena alteration, indicating that the SSA and galena, which may be the major minerals host for considerable quantities of Ag and Bi, are potentially Ag-Bi-enriched in the back-arc hydrothermal field. Moreover, REEs, S and Pb in the OT anglesite are likely to have been leached by fluids from local sub-seafloor volcanic rocks and/or sediments. A knowledge of the anglesite is useful for understanding the influence of volcanic rocks, sediments and altered subducted oceanic plate in hydrothermal systems, showing how trace metals behave during the formation of secondary minerals.
... The data from Okinawa Trough is originally published as sum of 15 vents, we here list 1/15 of the sum as the individual vent contribution for a better comparability. Data: 1 data from present study; 2 Rosenberg et al. [117]; 3 Massoth et al. [109]; 4 German et al. [29]; 5 Schmale et al. [30]; 6 Buck et al. [18]; 7 Staudigel et al. [4]; 8 Zeng et al. [118]. The Fe discharge at the Ahyi seamount, Northern Mariana Island, was found to be comparable to Brothers volcano, using the flux estimates derived from the Niskin bottle plume sampling [18]. ...
... The plume-based (Niskin samples) Mn flux of Brothers is similar to those of the intra-plate volcano Vailulu'u seamount [4] and to the minimum estimate for vents of the back-arc basin Okinawa Trough, considering the contribution of an individual vent as 1/15 of the field total reported by Zeng et al. [118]. The Mn flux range for Okinawa Trough hydrothermal vents estimated by Zeng et al. [118] is also comparable with the range calculated for Brothers based on the plume and hot fluid calculation ( Table 7). ...
... The plume-based (Niskin samples) Mn flux of Brothers is similar to those of the intra-plate volcano Vailulu'u seamount [4] and to the minimum estimate for vents of the back-arc basin Okinawa Trough, considering the contribution of an individual vent as 1/15 of the field total reported by Zeng et al. [118]. The Mn flux range for Okinawa Trough hydrothermal vents estimated by Zeng et al. [118] is also comparable with the range calculated for Brothers based on the plume and hot fluid calculation ( Table 7). ...
Hydrothermal venting is an important transfer process of energy and elements between the Earth´s solid material and the oceans. Compared to mid-ocean-ridge hydrothermal vent fields, those at intra-oceanic island arcs are typically in shallower water depth and have a more variable geochemical fluid composition. Biologically essential trace elements (such as Fe and Mn) are generally elevated in fluids of both deep and shallow hydrothermal vent fields, while vents at shallower water depth influence the photic zone more directly and thus are potentially more relevant for marine primary productivity. However, fluid flux estimations of island arc hydrothermal systems into the surrounding water column are scarce. This study (I) presents a method based on short-lived radium isotopes to estimate submarine hydrothermal discharge (SHD), (II) applies this method at Brothers volcano in the southern Kermadec arc, located northeast of New Zealand, and (III) gives dissolved Fe, Mn and He isotope flux estimates for the Earth´s longest intra-oceanic island arc, the Kermadec arc. The comparison between measured inert He isotope concentrations in the plume with calculated concentrations based on Ra isotopes matched reasonably well, which supports the use of a Ra-based discharge model. Overall, this study represents a novel approach to assess fluid and thus trace element fluxes from one hydrothermal vent field, which can be applied in future studies on various hydrothermal systems to improve geochemical models of element cycling in the ocean.
... During the MANUS cruise of R/V KEXUE in 2015, 18 hydrocast stations were set up in the water column above the PACMANUS (9 stations) and Desmos (9 stations) hydrothermal fields, among which the seawater and hydrothermal plume samples were collected at 8 stations (Figures 1(c) and 1(d)). We followed the methods of Zeng et al. [38]. The seawater and hydrothermal plume samples were collected at different depths with a Conductivity-Temperature-Depth (CTD) alu-minum rosette (Seabird) containing twenty-four 10 L Niskin bottles. ...
... The measurement accuracies were ±0.001°C for temperature, ±0.0003 S/m for conductivity, ±0.015% of the full-scale range for pressure, ±0.005 m/s for velocity (0.5% of the water velocity relative to LADCP), and ±2°5′ for direction, with resolutions of ±0.0002°C, ±0.0003 S/m, ±0.0015% of the full-scale range, 0.001 m/s, and 0.01°, respectively. The turbidity sensitivity was 200 mV/FTU (100x gain; range of 25 FTU) [38]. ...
... The pH meter was calibrated with buffer solutions of pH 4.00 (0.050 mol/L of potassium hydrogen phthalate) and 6.86 (0.025 mol/L of mixed phosphate). The aqueous samples were filtered through a 47 mm Merck Millipore 0.10 μm nitrocellulose membrane into 1 L Nalgene polypropylene bottles (previously soaked in 1 : 1 HNO 3 for 48 h and washed to neutral pH with deionized water and ultrapure water) within the ship laboratory immediately after collection from the Niskin bottles [38]. Filtered water samples were acidified to a pH of 1.8 using 2 M ultrapure HNO 3 (J. ...
The composition of hydrothermal plumes reflects the physical and chemical characteristics of seafloor hydrothermal fluids, which in turn reflects the host rock and subseafloor reaction conditions as well as the water column processes that act to alter the plumes as they disperse and age. Here, we show that the turbidity, current, pH value, dissolved Fe (dFe), and dissolved Mn (dMn) compositions of hydrothermal plumes can be used to understand the spatial distribution and source of hydrothermal systems in the submarine geological environment. Data were obtained from 18 hydrocast stations, among which the water column samples were collected at 8 stations during the MANUS cruise of R/V KEXUE in 2015. The results showed that the Satanic Mills plume and Fenway plume rose approximately 140 m and 220 m above the seafloor, respectively. In the Satanic Mills plume, dFe remained longer than dMn during lateral plume dispersal. There was a clear intersection of the Satanic Mills plume and Fenway plume between 1625 m and 1550 m in the PACMANUS hydrothermal field, and the varied dispersion trends of the mixed plumes were affected by current velocities at different depths. The physical and chemical properties of the seawater columns in the Manus Basin were affected by the input of high-Mn, high-Fe, and low-Mg vent fluids. The turbidity and dFe, dMn, and dissolved Mg concentrations in the sections of the plumes proximal to the Satanic Mills, Fenway, and Desmos vent sites were generally higher (turbidity, Mn, and Fe) and lower (Mg) than those in the sections of the plumes that were more distal from the vent sites. This implied that the plumes proximal to their vent fluid sources, which were interpreted to have relatively young ages, dispersed chemically over time, and their concentrations became more similar to those of the plumes that were more distal from their vent fluid sources.
Two redox-sensitive metalloids, arsenic (As) and antimony (Sb), are examined here to determine what can be their help in the deciphering of past depositional conditions. The enrichment factors of the two elements are compared for a set of geological formations and marine deposits covering a relatively wide range of paleoenvironmental settings, from oxic to euxinic conditions. This work confirms that As and Sb are not robust paleoredox proxies but examining their relative enrichment may be useful. These preliminary results indicate that a co-enrichment of both elements with Sb being more enriched than As could be the mark of the so-called particulate shuttle effect. Notably, Sb would be more sensitive to Mn-shuttling than As. If confirmed, this trend could be used to further identify the cause of As-enrichment in marine sediments impacted by cold seepage fluids.
Seafloor hydrothermal vent fields (SHVFs) are located in the mid-ocean ridge (MOR), backarc basin (BAB), island arc and hot-spot environments and hosted mainly by ultramafic, mafic, felsic rocks, and sediments. The hydrothermal vent fluids of SHVFs have low oxygen, abnormal pH and temperature, numerous toxic compounds, and inorganic energy sources, such as sulfuric compounds, methane, and hydrogen. The geological, physical, and chemical characteristics of SHVFs provide important clues to understanding the formation and evolution of seafloor hydrothermal systems, leading to the determination of metal sources and the reconstruction of the physicochemical conditions of metallogenesis. Over the past two decades, we studied the geological settings, volcanic rocks, and hydrothermal products of SHVFs and drawn new conclusions in these areas, including: 1) the hydrothermal plumes in the Okinawa Trough are affected by the Kuroshio current; 2) S and Pb in the hydrothermal sulfides from MOR are mainly derived from their host igneous rocks; 3) Re and Os of vent fluids are more likely to be incorporated into Fe- and Fe-Cu sulfide mineral facies, and Os is enriched under low-temperature (<200°C) hydrothermal conditions in global SHVFs; 4) compared with low-temperature hydrothermal sulfides, sulfates, and opal minerals, high-temperature hydrothermal sulfides maintain the helium (He) isotopic composition of the primary vent fluid; 5) relatively low temperature (<116°C), oxygenated, and acidic environment conditions are favorable for forming a native sulfur chimney, and a “glue pudding” growth model can be used to understand the origin of native sulfur balls in the Kueishantao hydrothermal field; and 6) boron isotope from hydrothermal plumes and fluids can be used to describe their diffusive processes. The monitoring and understanding of the physical structure, chemical composition, geological processes, and diverse organism of subseafloor hydrothermal systems will be a future hot spot and frontier of submarine hydrothermal geology.
