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Chemistry of seafloor hydrothermal systems
Author(s) -
McDuff Russell E.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
reviews of geophysics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 8.087
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1944-9208
pISSN - 8755-1209
DOI - 10.1029/rg025i006p01427
Subject(s) - seafloor spreading , hydrothermal circulation , seamount , geology , ridge , volcano , advection , sediment , basalt , seawater , mid ocean ridge , hydrothermal vent , mineralogy , geochemistry , earth science , oceanography , paleontology , physics , thermodynamics
The past four years saw advances in a number of aspects of hydrothermal chemistry. High temperature venting was documented at a number of sites, in association with the spectrum of seafloor volcanic activity: slow to fast spreading normal ridges, seamounts, back arc settings; sediment‐hosted and sediment‐starved sites. Significant progress was made in the description, both theoretical and observational, of the geometry of circulation and the nature of water‐rock reaction. Hydrothermal plumes received extensive study, expanding the range of documented anomalies and demonstrating more clearly the links to hydrothermal sedimentation. Biological‐chemical interactions began to be explored in a quantitative way. Pore fluid advection on sedimented ridge flanks was characterized at a number of sites, though the general question of the importance of off‐axis basalt‐seawater interaction remains unresolved.