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Variations in ambient light emission from black smokers and flange pools on the Juan De Fuca Ridge
Author(s) -
White S. N.,
Chave A. D.,
Reynolds G. T.,
Gaidos E. J.,
Tyson J. A.,
Van Dover C. L.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/1999gl011074
Subject(s) - plume , flange , radiation , ridge , wavelength , visible spectrum , thermal , infrared , thermal radiation , optics , geology , materials science , environmental science , atmospheric sciences , physics , meteorology , paleontology , composite material , thermodynamics
Ambient light emitted by high‐temperature black smokers and flange pools on the Juan de Fuca Ridge was imaged using a new spectral imaging camera. Most of the light is emitted at long wavelengths (700–1000 nm) and corresponds well to thermal radiation from a body at the same temperature as the vents/flanges. However, black smokers also emit time‐varying radiation in the visible region (400–650 nm) which cannot be explained by a thermal source. This visible radiation is 1–2 orders of magnitude greater than would be expected for purely thermal radiation; it exhibits variation with time, despite relatively constant vent temperatures; and it is not associated with the hottest part of the plume (i.e. the orifice). Flange pools do not exhibit excess visible light over that for a thermal source, suggesting that the light at smokers is caused by mechanisms related to turbulence, mixing, or precipitation.