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Project Title: |
NOAA-VENTS Research Program on Undersea Hydrothermal Venting Systems |
Project Status: |
Submitted |
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Principal Investigator: |
Robert W. Embley, PMEL |
Project Institution: |
NOAA_PMEL |
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Project ID: |
101122 |
Version #: |
5 |
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Date Submitted: |
5/15/2007 3:27:00 PM |
Created By: |
Paul Kunicki |
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Date Last Modified: |
2/17/2009 10:51:00 AM |
URI Serial #: |
None |
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Funding Agencies: |
NOAA - NONE - Funded |
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Summary of Field Work: |
Since 1984, NOAA’s VENTS Program has conducted a global program of exploration and chemical, biological, and geological research on volcanically hosted ecosystems in the deep sea. VENTS has pioneered the development of interactive observatories to document the evolution of such ecosystems on the decadal time scale. These investigations are supported with ~ $2M/yr of NOAA base funds, leveraged through collaborations with outside investigators. Following the layup of several large NOAA vessels on the west coast in the mid-1990s, VENTS has relied on a mix on NOAA and charter vessel support to accomplish its annual operations. Areas of recent focus are summarized below:
NE Pacific Process and Time Series Studies
The VENTS program has an interest in maintaining observatory-based time series experiments, discovering new hydrothermal and volcanic features, and responding to volcanic and tectonic events on the Juan de Fuca Ridge and other spreading centers in tne NE Pacific. To do this, the program will continue to need annual ship and submersible time in this region. Our initial priority in the NE Pacific is to maintain our time series work at the New Millenium Observatory (NeMO) at Axial Volcano, and the Neptune Observatory the Endeavour Segment of the Juan de Fuca Ridge. At both of these sites long-term (> 10 years) geodetic, chemical, and microbiological observations are underway. Ongoing observatory research activities include time-series sampling of specific hydrothermal vent sites for chemistry, microbial and vent fauna community structure; instrumental time-series sampling; high-precision depth survey at geodetic benchmarks; water-column plume time-series; and temperature monitoring. In addition to these time-series observations, the VENTS program is interested in discovering new hydrothermal and volcanic features in the NE Pacific. Some of these discoveries are expected to be associated with other work in the region, while others may be associated with volcanic and tectonic events that are likely to occur in this region over the next 5 to 10 years.
Western Pacific Exploration and Systematic Studies
VENTS expects to continue studies of volcanoes and hydrothermal systems of the Mariana arc, Lau Basin and other areas of the western and southern Pacific over the next five years. The ship and submersible time needs for this work could be as much as 21 days on station per year. Depending on ship availability, this could involve UNOLS, NOAA, or foreign vessels, as well as international collaborators. The long-term goals include exploration for new hydrothermal sites and features, process studies on unique environments (e.g. active volcanic eruption sites, liquid carbon dioxide vent sites), investigation of shallow hydrothermal sites, and extended monitoring of selected sites.
Maintenance of hydrophones
VENTS requires approximately 2 to 3 days of ship time per year to maintain recording hydrophones associated with the TAO buoy sites in the eastern tropical Pacific. The hydrophone array in the equatorial Pacific is used for identification of seafloor volcanic activity that may affect deep-sea hydrothermal ecosystems. Additionally, the hydrophones provide information on the distribution of Blue Whales via detection of the vocalization patterns. Blue Whales are a listed on the Marine Mammal Protection Act and are considered globally endangered. Ship time to support the hydrophone arrays is generally available when needed aboard NOAA vessels on TAO cruises. |
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Summary of Facility Requirements: |
Most VENTS cruises involve the use of JASON-II, ROPOS, or similar ROV for conducting dive operations, however the ALVIN manned submersible could also on occasion cover some of these requirements. Other cruise activities involving water column studies, seafloor mapping, and deployment/recovery of moorings and AUVs can also be accomplished on platforms not necessarily involving ROVs or manned submersible support. |
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Summary of other requirements and comments: |
Starting in 2008, the program’s intention is to migrate to an alternating annual sequence of cruises in the Juan de Fuca Ridge / NE Pacific region, with a significant ship/submersible expedition (10-15 days on station) alternating with a shorter-duration maintenance cruise (4-5 days) every other year. For 2008, a maintenance cruise opportunity (on collaborative/ancillary basis) will be sought in this region.
In correspondence with this alternating cruise pattern will be an effort to secure field time elsewhere, in particular within the western or southern Pacific areas of interest to the program (Mariana Arc and/or Lau Basin) as described above. If cruise time is unavailable in the Western Pacific, an exanded Eastern Pacific project may be conducted in coordination with the observatory maintenance cruise. |
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Type of Request: |
Ancillary |
Request Status: |
Submitted |
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Request ID: |
1001329 |
Created By: |
Paul Kunicki |
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Date Last Modified: |
9/3/2008 6:02:00 PM |
Date Submitted: |
5/15/2007 8:41:00 PM |
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Year: |
2008
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Ship/Facility: |
Global
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Optimum Start Date:
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5/1/2008 |
Dates to Avoid: |
Prefer to avoid austral summer cyclone season (Oct-Apr).
Prefer to aviod schedule for related curise request in NE Pacific under this project. |
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Earliest Start Date: |
1/1/2008 |
Multi-Ship Op: |
No |
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Latest Start Date: |
6/15/2008 |
Other Ship(s): |
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Operating Days Needed: |
Science Days |
Mob Days |
De-Mob Days |
Estimated Transit Days |
Total Days |
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16 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
16 |
Repeating Cruise?
(within same year) |
No |
Interval: |
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# of Cruises: |
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Description of Repeating cruise requirements: |
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Justification/Explanation for ship choice, dates,
conflicts, number of days & multi-ship operations: |
This cruise would support new exploration for hydrothermal activity in the northern Lau Basin between Samoa and Tonga. The main thrust of this activity would be water-column surveys of hydrothermal plumes combined with multi-beam mapping of seafloor bathymetry. The area of interest would be the spreading centers of the NE Lau Basin. An ROV would not be required. The viability of this scenario will depend on the availability of ship time in the southwestern Pacific region, and also on the existence of other funded expeditions in this region. Ideally our expedition work in the South Pacific would be combined with other project plans, possibly funded by NSF or another agency. Our work in 2008 may be compatible/combinable with that proposed by the following PIs (for example):
- Mark Wells, UCSC
- Douglas Wiens, WU
- Fernando Martinez, UH
An alternative to Lau Basin would be for a similar collaborative/ancillary project in the Mariana island arc in the Western Pacific. |
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Short Description of Op Area
for use in schedules: |
Lau Basin |
| Description of Op Area: |
Lau Basin - South Pacific
Alternate: Mariana Is. - Western Pacific |
| Op Area Size/Dia.: |
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Lat/Long |
Marsden Grid |
Navy Op Area |
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Beginning
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17° 30' S
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173° 0' W
map
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Ending
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14° 30' S
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178° 0' W
map
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Show Degrees Minutes |
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Foreign Clearance Required? |
Yes |
Coastal States:
France, Tonga, Fiji, Western Samoa |
 Important Info on Foreign Research Clearances
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Are you or any member in your science party bringing in any science equipment items which are regulated for export by the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and/or the Export Administration Regulations (EAR)?
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No |
If yes, have you applied for the necessary permits through your export control office?
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No |
| Questions about ITAR/EAR regulations?
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Comments about foreign clearance requirements or
description of any other special permitting requirements
(e.g., MMPA, ESA, IHA, Marine Sanctuaries, etc.) |
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Requested Start Port |
Intermediate Port(s) |
Requested End Port |
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Apia, Western Samoa |
None |
Suva Harbor, Fiji Islands |
Explanation/justification for requested
ports and dates of intermediate stops
or to list additional port stops |
On collaborative/ancillary basis, other South Pacific ports are acceptable for start, intermediate, or end points as best suited to the needs of a joint cruise effort.
An alternative project in the Mariana Arc in the Western Pacific may be considered, if Lau Basin is outside the range of scheduled vessel activities in 2008. |
Important Info on Working in Foreign Ports
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Chief Scientist: |
John Lupton, NOAA_HMSC |
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# in Science Party |
16 |
# of different science teams |
2 |
# Marine Technicians to be
provided by ship operator:
(include in science party total)
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1 |
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Explanation of Science Party Requirements and Technician Requirements |
One to three science teams may be involved. |
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 Dynamic Positioning | ADCP |  Multibeam | Seismic |
| Dredging/Coring/Large Dia. Trawl Wire | Stern A-frame | Fiber Optic (.681) | 0.680 Coax Wire |
| SCUBA Diving | Radioisotope use - briefly describe | NO Radioisotope use/Natural level work | Other Operator Provided Inst. - Describe |
| 0 PI-Provided Vans - briefly describe | MOCNESS | | |
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Explain Instrumentation or Capability
requirements that could affect choice
of ship in scheduling. |
Prefer vessel scheduled for other projects, or transits through the region, with capabilities for multibeam survey and full ocean depth CTD winch system.
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Explain Major Ancillary Facilities
Requirements and list description
and provider for "other" systems. |
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