In Situ Measurements of Chemical Distributions in a Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vent Field

Large changes in the concentration of sulfide around a hydrothermal vent in the Galapagos Rift provide direct evidence for the consumption of sulfide by the organisms of the vent community. These changes were detected with a new chemical analyzer capable of measuring silicate, sulfide, oxygen, and t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 1986-03, Vol.231 (4742), p.1139-1141
Main Authors: Johnson, Kenneth S., Beehler, Carl L., Sakamoto-Arnold, Carole M., Childress, James J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis
Biology
Chemical composition
Chemical oceanography
Chemistry
Hydrothermal vent ecology
Hydrothermal vent ecosystems
Hydrothermal vents
Inlets
Marine
Marine geology
Ocean floor
Oceans
Oxidation
Oxygen
Sea water
Seawater
Silicates
Submarine geology
Submersibles
Sulfides
Weights & measures
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Summary:Large changes in the concentration of sulfide around a hydrothermal vent in the Galapagos Rift provide direct evidence for the consumption of sulfide by the organisms of the vent community. These changes were detected with a new chemical analyzer capable of measuring silicate, sulfide, oxygen, and temperature on the sea floor at depths of 2500 meters. More than 10,000 measurements showed systematic variations in the sulfide and oxygen concentrations due to biogenic oxidation of sulfide in the hydrothermal solutions. Silicate concentration was highly correlated with temperature, but different trends were observed at different locations.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.231.4742.1139