• Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.175-183
• /
• 2006

The discovery of deep-sea hydrothermal vents and their ecosystems is a monumental landmark in the history of Ocean Sciences. Deep-sea hydrothermal vents are scattered along the global mid-ocean ridges and back-arc basins. Under sea volcanic phenomena related to underlying magma activities along mid-ocean ridges generate extreme habitats for highly specialized communities of animals. Multidisciplinary research efforts during past three decades since the first discovery of hydrothermal vents along the Galapagos Rift in 1977 revealed fundamental components of physiology, ecology, and evolution of specialized vent communities of micro and macro fauna. Heterogeneous regional geological settings and tectonic plate history have been considered as important geophysical and evolutionary factors for current patterns of taxonomic composition and distribution of vent faunas among venting sites in the World Ocean basins. It was found that these communities are based on primary production of chemosynthetic bacteria which directly utilize reduced compounds, mostly $H_2S$ and $CH_4$, mixed in vent fluids. Symbioses between these bacteria and their hosts, vent invertebrates, are foundation of the vent ecosystem. Gene flow and population genetic studies in parallel with larval biology began to unveil hidden dispersal barrier under deep sea as well as various dispersal characteristics cross taxa. Comparative molecular phylogenetics of vent animals revealed that vent faunas are closely related to those of cold-water seeps in general. In perspective additional interesting discoveries are anticipated particularly with further refined and expanded studies aided by new instrumental technologies.

• Ocean and Polar Research
• /
• v.36 no.2
• /
• pp.179-187
• /
• 2014

Directly searching for undiscovered hydrothermal vent sites is inefficient due to the practical difficulty of comprehensively imaging vent fields. Thus, most searches for hydrothermal vent sites rely on the detection of hydrothermal plumes from water column observation. Detecting and measuring the hydrothermal plumes are the most efficient way to infer the presence and distribution of hydrothermal vents. Both the array of vertical casting and lateral towing are the most common methods to discover hydrothermal plumes. In this study, we compared results of cast and tow-yo operations along the same section of a spreading center with a distance of 20.5 km in the North Fiji Basin for mapping hydrothermal plumes. Operation of CTD tow-yo provides a detailed pattern of plumes which enable us to locate the hydrothermal vents. On the other hand, identification of hydrothermal activity can be determined effectively by CTD cast with additional analysis of geochemical tracers. Reduction in the operating time is another advantage of CTD cast operation, especially for regional-scale survey. Our results show that the combination of CTD cast and tow-yo would improve the efficiency of the hydrothermal plume survey to locate new hydrothermal vent sites.

• Ocean and Polar Research
• /
• v.24 no.3
• /
• pp.215-223
• /
• 2002

Symbiosis of chemoautrophic bacteria with the members of hydrothermal vent and cold seep communities in the deep-sea were examined by histology using transmission electron microscopy; Bathymodiolus spp. from Sagami Bay, the Iheya Ridge and the North Fiji Basin; and Ifremeria nautilei from the North Fiji Basin. Two species of Bathymodiolus, each from Sagami Bay and the Iheya Ridge harbored methane-oxidizing symbionts within their gill tissues. Vent gastropod Ifremeria nautilei from the hydrothermal vents of the North Fiji Basin housed two types of symbionts; one sulfur-oxidizing type and the other methane-oxidizing type. The occurrence of chemosynthetic symbionts in these organisms were expected before-hand based on the ecological observations of their habit. The other members of these groups from world oceans and the recent advances in the symbiosis of the vent and seep communities were reviewed.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.4 no.1
• /
• pp.36-40
• /
• 1994

A water sample was taken from a black smoker chimney of a deep-sea hydrothermal vent by using an unmanned submersible "Dolphin 3K". The temperature of the hydrothermal fluid from the black smoker was $276^{\circ}C$. After isolation by repeated serial dilutions, An extremely thermophilic bacterial strain was selected. The strain designated as DT1331, was an anaerobic, non-motile, coccoid shaped bacterium with about 0.5 to $1.0\;\mu\textrm{m}$ in diameter. The strain DT1331 could grow up to $93^{\circ}C$, but the optimum temperature of this strain was $80^{\circ}C$. The growth occurred in the pH range of 4.5 to 8.5 and the optimum pH was 6.0. The strain DT1331 required 1% to 5% NaCl for growth and cell lysis was observed below 1% NaCl concentration. The bacterium could grow on polypeptides such as tryptone, peptone, soytone and on proteins such as casein or gelatin. However, no growth was observed on single amino acids, sugar and organic acids. Hydrogen gas was detected slightly during growth. This bacterium obligately required elemental sulfur and hydrogen sulfide gas was produced during growth.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.39 no.spc1
• /
• pp.203-213
• /
• 2006

The spatial patterns of meiobenthic communities in deep-sea sediment were examined. Sediment samples for analyzing of meiobenthic community structure were collected using a remote operated vehicle (ROV), multiple corer TV grab at 20 stations at five sites. In all, 15 meiofauna groups were recorded. Nematodes were the most abundant taxon. Benthic foraminiferans, harpacticoid copepods, polychaetes, and crustacean naupii were also dominant groups at all sites. The total meiofauna density at the study sites varied from 49 to 419 ind./$10cm^2$. The maximum density was recorded at a site located in Challenger Deep in the Mariana trench where simple benthic foraminifera with organic walls flourish. These distinctive taxa seem to be characteristic of the deepest ocean depths. Active hydrothermal sediments contain up to 150 harpacticoid copepods per $10cm^2$ of sediment. In a inactive ridge sediments, devoid of macrofaunal organisms:, the abundance of harpacticoid copepods never exceeded 15 ind./$10cm^2$. Multivariate analysis (multidimensional scaling) revealed significant differences in community structure among the three regions; near an active hydrothermal vent, in the deepest ocean depths and at typical deep-sea bed sites.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
• /
• v.11 no.3
• /
• pp.167-176
• /
• 2008

Lau basin of the south Pacific, as an active back arc basin, is promising area bearing seafloor massive hydrothermal deposit that is located in a subduction zone between the Pacific ocean plate and Indo-Australian continental plate. We performed multi-beam bathymetry survey in the Lau basin using EM120, to find out high hydrothermal activity Bone. Fonualei Rift and Spreading Center (FRSC) and Mangatolou Triple Junction (MTJ) area were selected for precise site survey through seafloor morphology investigation. The result of surface and deep-tow magnetometer survey showed that Central Anomaly Magnetization High (CAMH) recorded which is associated with active ridge in FRSC-2 and revealed very low magnetic anomalies that can be connected to past or present high hydrothermal activity in MTJ-1 seamount area. Moreover, the physical and chemical tracers of hydrothermal vent flume, i.e., transmission, hydrogen ion concentration (pH), adenosine triphosphate (ATP), methane (CH4) by use of CTD system, showed significant anomalies in those areas. From positive vent flume results, we could conclude that these areas were or are experiencing very active volcanic activities. The acquired chimney and hydrothermal altered bed rock samples gave us confidence of the existence of massive hydrothermal deposit. Even though not to use visual exploration equipment such as ROV, DTSSS, etc., traditional marine geophysical investigation approach might be a truly cost-effective tool for exploring seafloor hydrothermal massive deposit.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.16 no.11
• /
• pp.1826-1831
• /
• 2006

A novel hyperthermophilic, anaerobic, heterotrophic archaeon, designated strain $NA1^T$, was isolated from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent area (depth, 1,650 m) within the Papua New Guinea-Australia-Canada-Manus (PACMANUS) field. Cells of this strain were motile by means of polar flagella, coccoid-shaped with a diameter of approximately $0.5-1.0{\mu}m$, and occurred as single cells. Optimal temperature, pH, and NaCl concentration for growth were $80^{\circ}C$, 8.5, and 3.5%, respectively. The new isolate was an obligate heterotroph that utilized yeast extract, beef extract, tryptone, peptone, casein, and starch as carbon and energy sources. Elemental sulfur was required for growth and was reduced to hydrogen sulfide. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 52.0 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene indicated that strain $NA1^T$ belongs to the genus Thermococcus, and the organism is most closely related to T. gorgonarius, T. peptonophilus, and T. celer; however, no significant homology was observed among species by DNA-DNA hybridization. Strain $NA1^T$ therefore represents a novel species for which the name Thermococcus onnurineus sp. novo is proposed. The type strain is $NA1^T$ (=KCTC 10859, =JCM 13517).

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.22-40
• /
• 2009

Detailed bathymetry and magnetic survey data for NW Rota-1 and Esmeralda Bank obtained by R/V Onnuri of Korea Ocean Research & Development Institute in September 2007 were analyzed to investigate bathymetry and magnetic characteristics of the study area and to estimate the locations of possible hydrothermal vents. The shape of NW Rota-1 is corn type, and the depth of the summit is about 500 meter b.s.l. NW Rota-1 shows irregular topographic expression in the southeastern part. The shape of Esmeralda Bank is caldera type opened in the western part. The summit is very shallow, about 50 meter b.s.l. The western part of Esmeralda Bank is more steeper and topographic irregular than the eastern part, and have the valley made by erosion or collapse. The magnetic anomaly patterns of NW Rota-1 and Esmeralda Bank show low anomalies over the north and high anomalies over the south. The magnetic anomalies are steep over the summits and gently smooth over the deep bottom. The low magnetization zone occurs over the summit of NW Rota-1 and is surrounded by the high zones correlated with its crater. Two low magnetization zones are located in the summit and westside of Esmeralda Bank. The low magnetization zones of the summits of NW Rota-1 and Esmeralda Bank suggest the possible existence of hydrothermal vent.

• 한국지구물리탐사학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2008.10a
• /
• pp.27-32
• /
• 2008

Detailed bathymetry and magnetic survey data for Esmeralda Bank obtained by R/V Onnuri of Korea Ocean Research & Development Institute in September 2007 were analyzed to estimate the locations of possible hydrothermal vents. The shape of Esmeralda Bank is caldera type opened in the western part. The summit is very shallow, about 50 meter b.s.l. and the bottom is about 1300 meter b.s.l. The western part of Esmeralda Bank is more steeper and topographic irregular than eastern part, and showed the valley made by erosion or collapse. The magnetic anomaly patterns of Esmeralda Bank located low anomalies over the north and high anomalies over the south. The magnetic anomalies are steep over the summits and gently smooth over the deep bottom. Two low magnetization zones are located in the summit and westside of Esmeralda Bank. The low magnetization zones of the summits of Esmeralda Bank suggest the possible existence of hydrothermal vent.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.45 no.2
• /
• pp.145-156
• /
• 2012

Seafloor hydrothermal system occurs along the volcanic mid-ocean ridge, back-arc spreading center, and other submarine volcanic regions. The hydrothermal system is one of the fundamental processes controlling the transfer of energy and matter between crust/mantle and ocean; it forms hydrothermal vents where various deepsea biological communities are inhabited and precipitates metal sulfide deposits. Hydrothermal systems at convergence plate boundaries show diverse geochemical properties due to recycle of subducted material compared to simple systems at mid-ocean ridges. Sulfur isotopes can be used to evaluate such diversity in generation and evolution of hydrothermal system. In this paper, we review the sulfur isotope composition and geochemistry of hydrothermal precipitates sampled from several hydrothermal vents in the divergent plate boundaries in the western Pacific region. Both sulfide and sulfate minerals of the hydrothermal vents in the arc and backarc tectonic settings commonly show low sulfur isotope compositions, which can be attributed to input of magmatic $SO_2$ gas. Diversity in geochemistry of hydrothermal system suggests an active role of magma in the formation of seafloor hydrothermal system.