Collaborative Research: Fluxes of Heat and Salt from Endeavour Segment Vent Fields: Discrete Measurements as a Test of the Sea Breeze "Flux Meter" Hypothesis

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole MA

Investigators

Abstract

Measurement of the fluxes of heat and materials that tie geological forcing to biological response is central to addressing the major questions posed in the Ridge2000 Endeavour Integrated Studies Site implementation plan. This project will acquire two sets of complementary observations: the vertical fluxes of fluid mass, heat and salt rising from the Endeavour segment vent fields and the lateral transport of fluid mass within the axial valley. The vertical fluxes from the vent fields will be measured by establishing appropriate control volumes around them and using the autonomous vehicle ABE, complemented by precisely navigated CTD observations and a nearby current meter mooring, to measure the temperature, salinity and velocity fields on their boundaries. The lateral fluid flux will be measured with a dense array of conventional current meter moorings and up-looking acoustic current profilers.