In 2022, an international research team aboard the MARIA S. MERIAN made a remarkable discovery of a hydrothermal field. They found it 3,000 meters (9,842 feet) below the surface of the ocean.
The team discovered the first known hydrothermal field along the 500-kilometer (310-mile) Knipovich Ridge.
This ridge is near Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean. Scientists have long studied this region for its harsh climate and unique ecosystems.
This discovery revealed a hidden underwater landscape filled with intense geological activity and unique marine life.
The discovery of such a vibrant ecosystem in the deep, cold Arctic waters challenges our understanding of where life can thrive.
The Science Behind Hydrothermal Fields
Basically, hydrothermal vents are underwater flows that spew hot, mineral-rich fluids back into the ocean. These vents play a crucial role in Earth’s geochemical cycles and support diverse ecosystems.
According to a key figure in the expedition, these vents occur when water seeps into the ocean floor, is heated by magma, and later resurfaces carrying its mineral spoils.
The rising fluid is enriched with minerals and other materials from crustal rocks before escaping through pipe-like vents known as “black smokers.”
These smokers are responsible for the precipitation of metal-rich minerals.
Jøtul Field on Knipovich Ridge
The investigated field, christened “Jøtul” after a Norse mythological giant, is located within the Knipovich ridge.
The Ridge is part of a larger geological network formed by Greenland, Norway and Svalbard, at the boundary of the North American and European tectonic plates.
Dubbed a “spreading ridge,” this boundary is characterized by the gradual separation of two tectonic plates.
Intriguingly, the Jøtul field is located on a slow-spreading ridge, which adds more significance to its discovery.
The expedition’s lead scientist from the University of Bremen, Gerhard Bohrmann, reveals the scientific significance of the Jøtul field.
Its unique location and high concentrations of methane attribute to it an invaluable role in climate studies.
Link to climate change
The intense methane concentrations of the Jøtul field suggest an intense interaction between magma and oceanic sediments.
As methane travels through the water column, it is converted to CO2, thereby increasing oceanic CO2 concentrations and contributing to ocean acidification.
Moreover, when it reaches the atmosphere, it behaves as a greenhouse gas that affects climate change. However, the exact amount of methane from the Jøtul field reaching the atmosphere is yet to be closely studied.
In the absence of light
In particular, the Jøtul field provides a home for special organisms that rely on chemosynthesis for survival.
In the complete absence of sunlight at such deep depths, it is the hydrothermal fluids that form the basis for a unique ecosystem that thrives in the dark.
Future exploration in the Jøtul field
To better understand the Jøtul Field, a new expedition will set sail next summer, again under the leadership of Professor Gerhard Bohrmann.
The main goal is to explore and sample the unknown areas of the Jøtul field. With comprehensive data from the field, the researchers aim to make comparisons with other known hydrothermal fields in the Arctic province.
The study’s findings form part of the group of excellence in Bremen entitled “Ocean Floor – The Unexplored Earth Interface”, which aims to explore the complex processes at the sea floor and their impacts on the global climate.
Certainly, the Jøtul field will continue to be a focus in future research efforts within the Cluster.
Technological innovations
Exploration of the Jøtul field and similar hydrothermal fields has been made possible by remarkable advances in deep-sea technology.
The latest remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) equipped with high-definition cameras, sophisticated sensors and sampling tools allow scientists to delve into previously inaccessible underwater territories.
These innovations provide real-time data collection and enable high-resolution seafloor mapping, crucial to understanding the complex interactions within hydrothermal systems.
The integration of advanced laboratory techniques on research vessels further facilitates the immediate analysis and interpretation of samples.
As technology advances, we are discovering incredible new insights into the depths of the ocean. This progress is ushering us into an exciting new era of marine science.
The full study is published in the journal Scientific Reports.
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