PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Petit-spot volcanoes involve the deepest known submarine hydrothermal activity, possibly release CO2 and methane

Researchers reveal the hydrothermal activity of "petit-spot" volcanoes using samples obtained from 5.7km underwater—the deepest known to date

Petit-spot volcanoes involve the deepest known submarine hydrothermal activity, possibly release CO2 and methane
2023-06-01
(Press-News.org)

Underwater volcanism on the Earth's crust are active contributors of many different elements to the oceanic environment. Hence, they play an important role in biogeochemical and chemosynthetic cycles of the ocean. Although there have been many studies on high-temperature hydrothermal systems in the mid-ocean ridge—a series of underwater volcanoes that trace the edges of the different oceanic plates—there is little information on low-temperature hydrothermal systems in other volcanoes, such as "petit-spot" volcanoes.

Petit-spot volcanoes are small volcanoes that are found around the world, in regions where oceanic plates flex. Recent studies in the east of the Japan Trench have found that petit-spot volcanoes erupt alkaline magma that is enriched in carbon dioxide (CO2). These volcanoes also produce a volcanic rock called peperite that results from the heating of water-rich sediment, which implies hydrothermal fluid production and methanogenesis. Thereby, it is suggested that petit-spot volcanoes may vent hydrothermal fluids containing methane. These findings indicate the need for a better understanding of the hydrothermal activity of petit-spot volcanoes to properly evaluate their contributions to marine biogeochemical cycle.

In a recent study, a team of scientists, including Assistant Professor Keishiro Azami from Waseda University, investigated hydrothermal deposits from a petit-spot volcano at a water depth of 5.7 km in the Japan Trench in the western North Pacific Ocean. "The submarine hydrothermal activity we have described in our paper is the deepest known to date. Based on our findings, we have further estimated the hydrothermal interactions that occur in petit-spot volcanoes," explains Azami. The research team also included Dr. Shiki Machida from Chiba Institution of Technology and Associate Professor Naoto Hirano from Tohoku University. The paper has been published in Communications Earth & Environment.

As a part of their study, the team analyzed the chemical and mineralogical composition of dredge samples obtained from the oceanic floor near the petit-spot volcano. They found that the samples were primarily composed of iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) oxides, and that their characteristics were attributed to hydrothermal origin, i.e., the Fe–Mn oxides precipitated directly from hydrothermal fluid. These results indicate petit-spot hydrothermal activity as the reason for the formation of these oxides and the petit-spot volcano as the deepest hydrothermal site known to date. The researchers also found that the chemical and mineral compositions of the samples were indicative of low-temperature hydrothermal activity.

The researchers then performed x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy to identify the elemental distribution of the sample cross-sections and performed independent component analysis on the elemental distribution data to elucidate the formation process of these Fe–Mn oxides. Their findings suggested that the formation of these Fe–Mn oxides starts when petit-spot magma produces low-temperature hydrothermal fluid, which flows up via the sediment column and precipitates Mn oxides at the interface with seawater. This Mn oxide layer, which contains silicate debris, then grows downwards toward the seabed as more Mn oxide is deposited. Eventually this debris is altered. Next, Fe oxides are deposited via the same action on the interface between the low-temperature hydrothermal fluid and the Mn oxides. A hydrogenetic rim then grows on these deposits at the surface that is exposed to seawater, after the cessation of hydrothermal activity.

“Based on previous research, we can estimate hydrothermal fluid from petit-spot volcanoes to be enriched in CO2 and methane compared to that from the mid-ocean ridge,” explains Azami. "This means, in turn, that the elemental contributions from petit-spot hydrothermal activity around the world may potentially have important implications for global biogeochemical cycles, in particular the carbon cycle."

These findings underscore the presence of hydrothermal activity in cold and old oceanic plates and highlight the need for further studies on petit-spot volcanoes.

 

***

 

Reference

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-023-00832-3

Authors:

Keishiro Azami1, †, 2, Shiki Machida2, Naoto Hirano3, Kentaro Nakamura4, 1, 2, Kazutaka Yasukawa4,1, Tetsu Kogiso5, Masao Nakanishi6, Yasuhiro Kato1, 2

Affiliations         

1Department of Systems Innovation, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan

2Ocean Resources Research Center for Next Generation, Chiba Institution of Technology, 2-17-1 Tsudanuma, Narashino, Chiba 275-0016, Japan

3Center for Northeast Asian Studies, Tohoku University, 41 Kawauchi, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8576, Japan

4Frontier Research Center for Energy and Resources, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan

5Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Yoshida-nihonmatsu, Sakyo, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan

6Graduate School of Science, Chiba University, 1-33 Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8522, Japan

†Present address: School of Creative Science and Engineering, Waseda University, 3-4-1 Okubo, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan

 

About Waseda University

Located in the heart of Tokyo, Waseda University is a leading private research university that has long been dedicated to academic excellence, innovative research, and civic engagement at both the local and global levels since 1882. The University has produced many changemakers in its history, including nine prime ministers and many leaders in business, science and technology, literature, sports, and film. Waseda has strong collaborations with overseas research institutions and is committed to advancing cutting-edge research and developing leaders who can contribute to the resolution of complex, global social issues. The University has set a target of achieving a zero-carbon campus by 2032, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations in 2015. 

To learn more about Waseda University, visit https://www.waseda.jp/top/en  

 

About Assistant Professor Keishiro Azami

Keishiro Azami is an Assistant Professor at the School of Creative Science and Engineering at Waseda University in Japan. His research focuses on geochemistry and solid Earth sciences, with a special interest in the ferromanganese crust. Dr. Azami is also a member of the Geochemical Society of Japan, the Japan Geological Society, and the Japan Geoscience Union. He has published seven papers. Dr. Azami obtained his PhD from the University of Tokyo in 2022.

END


[Attachments] See images for this press release:
Petit-spot volcanoes involve the deepest known submarine hydrothermal activity, possibly release CO2 and methane Petit-spot volcanoes involve the deepest known submarine hydrothermal activity, possibly release CO2 and methane 2

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Producing large, clean 2D materials made easy: just KISS

Producing large, clean 2D materials made easy: just KISS
2023-06-01
Ever since the discovery of the two-dimensional form of graphite (called graphene) almost twenty years ago, interest in 2D materials with their special physical properties has skyrocketed. Famously, graphene was produced by exfoliating bulk graphite using sticky tape. Although it was good enough for a Nobel Prize, this method has its drawbacks. An international team of surface scientists has now developed a simple method to produce large and very clean 2D samples from a range of materials using three different substrates. Their method, kinetic in situ single-layer synthesis (KISS) ...

House of moveable wooden walls unveiled, promising a cheaper, greener alternative to ‘knocking through’.

2023-06-01
University of Cambridge architects are inviting visitors to the London Design Biennale to experience a prototype home constructed with flexible wooden partition walls which can be shifted to meet the changing needs of residents. The invention aims to reduce waste and carbon while also improving living conditions for those who cannot afford expensive refurbishments. [Images will be available to download here from 10AM (UK Time) on 1st June] House-owners the world over consider ‘knocking through’ walls to achieve more open-plan living or changing layouts to accommodate new arrivals or circumstances. ...

Biodegradable plastic from sugar cane also threatens the environment

Biodegradable plastic from sugar cane also threatens the environment
2023-06-01
Plastic made from cane sugar also threatens the environment. Researchers from the University of Gothenburg have found that perch change their behaviour when exposed to so-called bioplastic. Traditional plastic, based on fossil oil, has flooded the earth and there is microplastic in all living things. This has led to intensive research for alternatives that decompose faster in nature. Bio-based polymers based on cane sugar are one such option. The most common bioplastic is poly-L-lactide (PLA), which is used in 3D printers, textiles, food packaging, disposable cutlery and other applications. PLA plastic changed the behaviour of perch Bioplastics also have a negative impact on biological ...

Finally solved! The great mystery of quantized vortex motion

Finally solved! The great mystery of quantized vortex motion
2023-06-01
Liquid helium-4, which is in a superfluid state at cryogenic temperatures close to absolute zero (-273°C), has a special vortex called a quantized vortex that originates from quantum mechanical effects. When the temperature is relatively high, the normal fluid exists simultaneously in the superfluid helium, and when the quantized vortex is in motion, mutual friction occurs between it and the normal-fluid. However, it is difficult to explain precisely how a quantized vortex interacts with a normal-fluid in motion. Although several theoretical models have been proposed, it has not been clear which model is correct. A research group led by Professor Makoto Tsubota and Specially ...

Q&A: Virginia Tech researchers discover new, more effective candidates for treatment of syphilis

Q&A: Virginia Tech researchers discover new, more effective candidates for treatment of syphilis
2023-06-01
Since 2000, sexually transmitted infection rates have been on the rise. Syphilis, a disease that was nearly eradicated in the United States at that time, now affects more than 18 million people worldwide each year with few options for effective treatment. One challenge that has plagued syphilis researchers for decades was the inability to culture and study the disease-causing agent in a laboratory setting. “The incredible efforts of our colleagues and collaborators produced a faithful system to propagate the disease-causing agent in vitro, or in a laboratory setting. Being able to culture ...

Discovery of neurons that recognize others

Discovery of neurons that recognize others
2023-06-01
Researchers from the Center for Cognition and Sociality (CCS) within the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) recently announced the discovery of neurons that allow us to recognize others. The research team discovered that the neurons that deal with the information associated with different individuals are located in the CA1 region of the hippocampus. Social animals, including humans, constantly engage in interactions with others. In this process, the ability to recognize the identity of the social counterpart, retrieve relevant information about them from memory, ...

Little-known microbes could help predict climate tipping points

Little-known microbes could help predict climate tipping points
2023-06-01
DURHAM, N.C. -- Researchers studying a group of widespread but often overlooked microbes have identified a climate feedback loop that could accelerate climate change. But it’s not all bad news: this one comes with an early warning signal. Using a computer simulation, a team of scientists from Duke University and the University of California, Santa Barbara, showed that most of the world’s ocean plankton and many other single-celled creatures in lakes, peatlands and other ecosystems could cross a threshold where instead of soaking up carbon dioxide, they start doing the opposite. That’s because of how warming affects their metabolism. Because carbon dioxide ...

Makers of PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ covered up the dangers

2023-06-01
The chemical industry took a page out of the tobacco playbook when they discovered and suppressed their knowledge of health harms caused by exposure to PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), according to an analysis of previously secret industry documents by UC San Francisco (UCSF) researchers. A new paper published May 31, 2023, in Annals of Global Health, examines documents from DuPont and 3M, the largest manufacturers of PFAS, and analyzes the tactics industry used to delay public awareness of PFAS toxicity and, in turn, delay regulations governing their use. PFAS are widely used chemicals in clothing, ...

Antipsychotic drugs use increased in Canadian long-term care homes in first year of pandemic

2023-06-01
While most aspects of care quality in long-term care homes did not differ in the first year of the pandemic from pre-pandemic levels, a new study shows that the use of antipsychotic drugs increased in all provinces. The study analyzed health system performance reports provided by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) over three years: two before the pandemic and the first year of COVID-19. The reports are based on more than half a million resident assessments completed in Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia.  Researchers ...

Northsiders are more connected to nature than southsiders: study

2023-06-01
New research into Melburnians’ connection to nature is helping the City of Melbourne understand how to engage its community members in conservation efforts.   The study, led by RMIT University in collaboration with the City of Melbourne and Queensland University of Technology, surveyed over 1,500 City of Melbourne residents and visitors on their connection to nature and found nearly 75% of respondents had a high connection to nature.   More than 75% of respondents said they were concerned about climate change and the destruction of nature.  However, retirees and university students who have lived most of their lives in the Melbourne ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

IOP Publishing and IPEM mandate reporting of sex and gender in research 

Dogs trained to detect trauma stress by smelling humans’ breath

Electronic device thermal management made simpler and slightly better!

Study: Dangerous surgical site infections can be reduced with simple prevention protocol

Genetic testing of patients with atrial fibrillation can alert clinicians to potential development of life-threatening conditions

Artificial Intelligence tool successfully predicts fatal heart rhythm

What progress has China made in agriculture green development over the past five years?

ALMA finds new molecular signposts in starburst galaxy

Open waste burning linked to air pollution in Northwestern Greenland

Google Street View reveals how built environment correlates with risk of cardiovascular disease

Connecting the dots to shape growth forces

Parental avoidance of toxic exposures could help prevent autism, ADHD in children, new study shows

Trends in the incidence of renal replacement therapy due to rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis in Japan, 2006–2021

Olympics not likely to swallow up skateboarding’s subversive nature into its corporate spectacle, study says

Looking after the NHS workforce must be a top priority, say experts

Prolonged use of certain hormone drugs linked to increased brain tumor risk

Delirium a ‘strong risk factor’ for dementia among older people

People experiencing homelessness more likely to develop dementia at younger ages, study finds

Can metalens be commercialized at a fraction of the cost?

Reclaim ‘wellness’ from the rich and famous, and restore its political radicalism, new book argues

Curtin research unlocks supernova stardust secrets

New documents reveal patient safety concerns over strike day cover

UTA hosts Solar-bration watch party for April 8 eclipse

Researchers discover molecule that promotes production of cancer cells in triple-negative breast cancer

New tool provides researchers with improved understanding of stem cell aging in the brain

Around half of people living with HIV in developed countries are now aged 50 years and over and at higher risk of becoming frail and having multiple comorbidities

You are never too old for an STI – more older adults being diagnosed with STIs such as gonorrhea and syphilis

University of Minnesota researchers introduce enhanced brain signal analysis technique

Aston University research center to focus on using AI to improve lives

Robot, can you say ‘cheese’?

[Press-News.org] Petit-spot volcanoes involve the deepest known submarine hydrothermal activity, possibly release CO2 and methane
Researchers reveal the hydrothermal activity of "petit-spot" volcanoes using samples obtained from 5.7km underwater—the deepest known to date