EarthRef.org Reference Database (ERR)
Development and Maintenance by the EarthRef.org Database Team

Detailed Reference Information
Vanko et al. 2004
Vanko, D.A., Bach, W., Roberts, S., Yeats, C.J. and Scott, S.D. (2004). Fluid inclusion evidence for subsurface phase separation and variable fluid mixing regimes beneath the deep-sea PACMANUS hydrothermal field, Manus Basin back arc rift, Papua New Guinea. Journal of Geophysical Research 109: doi: 10.1029/2003JB002579. issn: 0148-0227.

Altered volcanic rocks were cored from over 350 m below the seafloor at the Papua New Guinea-Australia-Canada Manus Basin Hydrothermal Field (PACMANUS) deep-sea hydrothermal field, in the eastern Manus back arc basin. Fluid inclusions in anhydrite veins reveal phase separation and fluid mixing beneath the seafloor. The anhydrite precipitated from high-temperature fluids (150--385¿C). At Roman Ruins, a site of active high-temperature venting (220--276¿C, measured by submersible), the fluid inclusion thermal depth profile is uniform and high temperature (242--368¿C). At Snowcap, a site of warm water effusion (6--65¿C), the fluid inclusions indicate high temperatures at depth (270--385¿C) but both low and high temperatures in the shallower section. This indicates a flow regime dominated by vertical advection and shallow entrainment and mixing with cool seawater. Inclusions at Snowcap exhibit extreme salinity variations due to phase separation at temperatures above 350¿C. Fluids contain Na, Cl, Fe, Zn, Mg, and Ba and a minor gas component such as CO2 or CH4. Most inclusions at Roman Ruins exhibit salinities that fall within the range of those observed at modern active vent sites along the mid-ocean ridge system. Fluid inclusion temperatures support a hypothesis, developed previously from Sr-isotopic analysis, that the subseafloor at Snowcap is characterized by mixing between deep-sourced hot hydrothermal fluids and cold seawater-like fluid. Both heating of seawater and cooling of upwelling hydrothermal fluids can be recognized by combining isotopic and fluid inclusion data. In contrast to Snowcap, the regime at Roman Ruins is less varied, with uniformly high-temperature upwelling fluids that have hydrothermally dominated Sr-isotopic ratios.

BACKGROUND DATA FILES

Abstract

Keywords
Geochemistry, Isotopic composition/chemistry, Marine Geology and Geophysics, Heat flow (benthic) and hydrothermal processes, Marine Geology and Geophysics, Midocean ridge processes, Mineralogy and Petrology, Mineral occurrences and deposits, Tectonophysics, Hydrothermal systems, fluid inclusions, Ocean Drilling Program, anhydrite
Journal
Journal of Geophysical Research
http://www.agu.org/journals/jb/
Publisher
American Geophysical Union
2000 Florida Avenue N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20009-1277
USA
1-202-462-6900
1-202-328-0566
service@agu.org
Click to clear formClick to return to previous pageClick to submit