South Chamorro Vent
Latitude: 13.788οN Longitude: 146.003οE Depth: 3083 m bsl
South Chamorro Seamount is a serpentinite mud volcano on the Mariana forearc (Fryer et al., 2006). Pore fluids from the South Chamorro Seamounts suggest a slab source, as evidenced by their lower chlorinity and higher K and Rb (Mottl, 1992). The fluids are also enriched in dissolved carbonate, light hydrocarbons, ammonia and borate (Mottl et al., 2003; Holm et al., 2009). The summit of South Chamorro Seamount has small carbonate chimney structures (Fryer et al. 1999). The biodiversity includes archaea, bacteria and some eukaryotes such as calyptogena clams, galatheid crabs, gastropods, mussels and tube worms (Mottl et al., 2003; Curtis et al., 2013; Takai et al., 2005; Yamanaka et al., 2015; Fryer et al., 1997; Fujioka et al., 2002).
Table 1: Operations history for S. Chamorro vent
| Ship/ Platform | Operation | Year | Dive Number | References |
| NT 12-04 R/V Natsushima/ Hyper-dolphin | Not found | 2012 | HPD#1349 to HPD#1351 |
|
| YK03-07 Yokosuka/ Shinkai 6500 | Not found | 2003 August-September | 0777-0780 |
|
Table 2: Activity and rock types
| Activity and host rocks | References | |
| Activity | Active mud volcanism |
Fryer et al., 1999 |
| Rocks types | Muds are mainly Serpentinite and small fragments of metabasic rocks |
Fryer et al., 1999 Fryer et al., 2006 |
Table 3: Vent fluid characteristics
| Property | Bottom seawater | Vent Fluids | References |
| Distance from the trench (km) | 85 km | IODP-MCME 366 Proposal | |
| Temperature (οC) | 1.67 | 3 | Mottl et al., 2003; McIntyre et al., 2013 |
| pH | 8 | 12.5 | IODP-MCME 366 Proposal |
| Composition | Interstitial fluids of pH 12.6 associated with serpentinized mud at the South Chamorro seamount are enriched in dissolved carbonate, light hydrocarbons, ammonia and borate. | Mottl et al., 2003
Holm et al., 2009 |
|
| Alkalinity (meq/kg) | 2.3 | 62 | IODP-MCME 366 Proposal |
| Clorinity (mmol/kg) | 542 | 510 | IODP-MCME 366 Proposal |
| CH4 (mmol/kg) | 4×10-7
|
2±1
25 |
Mottl et al., 2003
McIntyre et al., 2013 |
| CO2 mmol/kg | 26 | McIntyre et al., 2013 | |
| Sulfate (mmol/kg) | 28 | 28 | IODP-MCME 366 Proposal |
| Mg (mmol/kg) | 52.4 | <0.01 | IODP-MCME 366 Proposal |
| Ca (mmol/kg) | 10.2 | 0.3 | IODP-MCME 366 Proposal |
| Na (mmol/kg) | 466 | 610 | IODP-MCME 366 Proposal |
| Na/Cl (molar) | 0.86 | 1.2 | IODP-MCME 366 Proposal |
| K (mmol/kg) | 10.1 | 19 | IODP-MCME 366 Proposal |
| Li (μmol/kg) | 26 | 0.4 | IODP-MCME 366 Proposal |
| Rb (μmol/kg) | 1.37 | 10 | IODP-MCME 366 Proposal |
| Cs (μmol/kg) | 0.0022 | 0.3 | IODP-MCME 366 Proposal |
| Sr (μmol/kg) | 90 | 10 | IODP-MCME 366 Proposal |
| Ba (μmol/kg) | 0.14 | 0.4 | IODP-MCME 366 Proposal |
| B (μmol/kg) | 410 | 3200 | IODP-MCME 366 Proposal |
| Si (μmol/kg) | 190 | 70 | IODP-MCME 366 Proposal |
| F (μmol/kg) | 67 | 47 | IODP-MCME 366 Proposal |
| Mn (μmol/kg) | 0 | 0.01 | IODP-MCME 366 Proposal |
| Fe (μmol/kg) | 0 | 2 | IODP-MCME 366 Proposal |
*IODP-MCME 366- International Ocean Discovery Program-Mariana Convergent Margin Expedition 366.
Table 4: Vent Biology
| General name | Phylum | Class/Order | Family | Genus/Species | References | |
| Archaea | Crenarchaeota | Mottl et al., 2003
Curtis et al., 2013 |
||||
| Archaea | Euryarchaeota | Mottl et al., 2003
Curtis et al., 2013 |
||||
| Alkaliphilic bacteria | Proteobacteria | Alteromonadales | Alteromonadaceae | Marinobacter alkaliphilus sp. | Takai et al., 2005 | |
| Calyptogena clams | Mollusca | Veneroida | Vesicomyidae | Yamanaka et al., 2015 | ||
| Galatheid crabs | Arthropoda | Fryer et al., 1997 | ||||
| Gastropods | Mollusca | Fryer et al., 1997 | ||||
| Mussels | Mollusca | Mytiloida | Mytilidae | Bathymodiolus sp. | Fryer et al., 1997; Fujioka et al., 2002; Fujioka et al., 2001; Yamanaka et al., 2015 | |
| Tube worms | Annelida | Fryer et al., 1997 | ||||
Images:
- Marine geology and geochemistry division of, department of oceanography, university of Hawaii, Manoa (note: search “south chamorro”)
- J-EDI JAMSTEC E-Library for Deep-sea Images (note: search “South Chamorro”).
Video links:
- J-EDI JAMSTEC E-Library for Deep-sea Images (note: search “South Chamorro”).
References:
- Curtis, A. C., Wheat, C. G., Fryer, P., Moyer, C. L., 2013. Mariana Forearc Serpentinite Mud Volcanoes Harbor Novel Communities of Extremophilic Archaea. Geomicrobiology Journal 30 (5), 430-441.
- Fryer, P., Gharib, J., Ross, K., Savov, I., Mottl, M. J., 2006. Variability in serpentinite mudflow mechanisms and sources: ODP drilling results on Mariana forearc seamounts. Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems 7 (8), Q08014, doi:10.1029/2005GC001201.
- Fryer, P., Mottl, M. J., 1997. “Shinkai 6500” Investigations of a resurgent mud volcano on the Southeastern Mariana forearc. JAMSTEC J. Deep Sea Res. 13, 103-114.
- Fryer, P., Wheat, C. G., Mottl, M. J., 1999. Mariana blueschist mud volcanism Implications for conditions within the subduction zone. Geology 27 (2), 103–106.
- Fujioka, K., Yamanaka, T., Gamo, T., Inagaki, F., Miwa, T., Sato, H., 2001. An introduction to the Serpentinite Biosphere in the Mariana Forearc: Capsule of the Deep Subsurface Biosphere from the Chamorrow Seamount. Bull. Earthq. Res. Inst. Univ. Tokyo 76, 417-424.
- Fujioka, K., Yamanaka, T., Gamo, T., Inagaki, F., Miwa, T., Sato, H., Okamoto, T., Oda, H., 2002. Serpentines as a capsule of the deep subsurface biosphere: Evidence from the Chamorro Seamount, Mariana forearc. JAMSTEC J. Deep Sea Res. 20, 9-16.
- Holm, N. G., Neubeck, A., 2009. Reduction of nitrogen compounds in oceanic basement and its implications for HCN formation and abiotic organic synthesis. Geochemical Transactions10 (9), 1-11.
- McIntyre, C. P., McNichol, A. P., Roberts, M. L., Seewald, J. S., von Reden, K. F., Jenkins, W. J., 2013. Improved Precision of Radiocarbon Measurements for CH4 and CO2 Using GC and Continuous-Flow AMS achieved by Summation of Repeated Injections. Radiocarbon 55 (2–3), 677–685.
- Mottl, M. J., 1992. Pore Waters from Serpentinite Seamounts in the Mariana and Izu-Bonin Forearcs, Leg 125: Evidence for Volatiles from the Subducting Slab. Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, Scientific Results 125, 373-385.
- Mottl, M. J., Komor, S. C., Fryer, P., Moyer, C. L., 2003. Deep-slab fluids fuel extremophilic Archaea on a Mariana forearc serpentinite mud volcano: Ocean Drilling Program Leg 195. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems 4 (11) 9009, doi: 10.1029/2003GC000588.
- Takai, K., Moyer, C. L., Miyazaki, M., Nogi, Y., Hirayama, H., Nealson, K. H., Horikoshi, K., 2005. Marinobacter alkaliphilus sp. nov., a novel alkaliphilic bacterium isolated from subseafloor alkaline serpentine mud from Ocean Drilling Program Site 1200 at South Chamorro Seamount, Mariana Forearc. Extremophiles 9, 17–27.
- Yamanaka, T., Shimamura, S., Nagashio, H., Yamagami, S., Onishi, Y., Hyodo, A., Mampuku, M., Mizota, C., 2015. A Compilation of the Stable Isotopic Compositions of Carbon, Nitrogen, and Sulfur in Soft Body Parts of Animals Collected from Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vent and Methane Seep Fields: Variations in Energy Source and Importance of Subsurface Microbial Processes in the Sediment-Hosted Systems. In: Ishibashi, J., Okino, K., Sunamura, M. (Eds.), Subseafloor Biosphere Linked to Hydrothermal Systems: TAIGA Concept. Springer Japan, 105-129.
Website References:
- J-DESC Japan Drilling Earth Science Consortium: IODP Mariana Convergent Margin Expedition 366: http://j-desc.org/eng/iodp-2/366-mariana-convergent-margin (accessed 09/12/2015)
- JAMSTEC (Japan Agency for Marine Earth Science and Technology) E-library of Deep-sea Images (JEDI) http://www.godac.jamstec.go.jp/darwin/datatree/e (accessed 11/24/2015)
- Marine geology and geochemistry division of, department of oceanography, university of Hawaii, Manoa: http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/oceanography/mggd/mggd_hydro-bio.htm (accessed 09/12/2015)
Cruise Reports:
- Natsushima cruise report NT12-04 http://www.godac.jamstec.go.jp/catalog/data/doc_catalog/media/NT12-04_all.pdf (accessed 2/27/2017)
- Yokosuka cruise report YK03-07 http://www.godac.jamstec.go.jp/catalog/data/doc_catalog/media/YK03-07_all.pdf (accessed 2/27/2017)