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Transport and Deposition Patterns of Particles Laden by Rising Submarine Hydrothermal Plumes
Author(s) -
Lou Yingzhong,
He Zhiguo,
Han Xiqiu
Publication year - 2020
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 - 10.1029/2020gl089935
Subject(s) - settling , deposition (geology) , hydrothermal vent , entrainment (biomusicology) , geology , hydrothermal circulation , plume , submarine , geophysics , sediment , oceanography , geomorphology , environmental science , meteorology , physics , paleontology , environmental engineering , rhythm , acoustics
Transport and deposition behavior of mineral particles driven by hydrothermal plumes along mid‐ocean ridges is one of the least understood processes in geoscience. We reveal the mechanism and three typical transport patterns of particles emitted from submarine vents and subsequently laden by plumes in the stratified deep ocean with or without crossflows, that is, suspension, near‐vent deposition, and long‐distance transport, by developing a Lagrangian model coupled with a computational fluid dynamics model and using in situ measurements as model inputs. The particle trajectories suggest a general expression that predicts a linear variation of deposition location with the reciprocal of settling velocity, which potentially leads to a power law distribution of sediment mass along the radial direction. Our findings provide a new perspective on the accumulation of sediments near hydrothermal vents, indicating a critical role of the entrainment of plumes and consequent vortex systems in controlling deposition flux.