Changing Brine Inputs Into Hydrothermal Fluids: Southern Cleft Segment, Juan de Fuca Ridge

Abstract In 2016, temperature recorders were recovered, temperatures were measured, and fluid samples were collected from Vent 1, a high temperature (338°C) hydrothermal discharge site on the southern Cleft Segment of the Juan de Fuca Ridge. Coupled with previous sampling efforts, this collection re...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: C. Geoffrey Wheat, Robert A. Zierenberg, Jennifer B. Paduan, David W. Caress, David A. Clague, William W. Chadwick Jr.
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2020-11-01
Series:Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GC009360
_version_ 1797637936529801216
author C. Geoffrey Wheat
Robert A. Zierenberg
Jennifer B. Paduan
David W. Caress
David A. Clague
William W. Chadwick Jr.
author_facet C. Geoffrey Wheat
Robert A. Zierenberg
Jennifer B. Paduan
David W. Caress
David A. Clague
William W. Chadwick Jr.
author_sort C. Geoffrey Wheat
collection DOAJ
description Abstract In 2016, temperature recorders were recovered, temperatures were measured, and fluid samples were collected from Vent 1, a high temperature (338°C) hydrothermal discharge site on the southern Cleft Segment of the Juan de Fuca Ridge. Coupled with previous sampling efforts, this collection represents a 32‐year record of discharge from a single chimney structure, the longest record to date. Remarkably, the fluid has remained brine‐dominated for more than three decades. This brine formed during phase separation and segregation prior to initial observations in 1984. Although the chloride concentration of the discharging fluid has decreased with time, the fluid temperature has remained nearly constant for at least 3.3 years and probably for 15 or even 22 years. Compositions of the discharging fluids are consistent with inputs from a deep‐sourced brine, which was last equilibrated at >400°C at a depth consistent with the base of the sheeted dikes and the brittle‐ductile transition. This brine mixed (diffusion or dispersion) with a likely non‐phase‐separated, hydrothermal fluid prior to discharge. A survey of hydrothermal endmember fluids with chlorinities in excess of 700 mmol/kg shows, with the exception of Fe, a single trend between major ion concentrations and chlorinity even though data are from a range of crustal compositions, spreading rates, and water and magma depths. Calculated deep‐sourced brines from hydrothermal fluid data are similar to data based on fluid inclusions and estimates of brine assimilation in magmas. A better understanding of brines is required given their potential duration of discharge and capacity for mobilizing metals.
first_indexed 2024-03-11T12:55:25Z
format Article
id doaj.art-478febe97f024aff98424599e2dd09b8
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1525-2027
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-11T12:55:25Z
publishDate 2020-11-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems
spelling doaj.art-478febe97f024aff98424599e2dd09b82023-11-03T17:01:17ZengWileyGeochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems1525-20272020-11-012111n/an/a10.1029/2020GC009360Changing Brine Inputs Into Hydrothermal Fluids: Southern Cleft Segment, Juan de Fuca RidgeC. Geoffrey Wheat0Robert A. Zierenberg1Jennifer B. Paduan2David W. Caress3David A. Clague4William W. Chadwick Jr.5Institute of Marine Sciences College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences University of Alaska Fairbanks Moss Landing CA USADepartment of Earth and Planetary Sciences University of California Davis Davis CA USAMonterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute Moss Landing CA USAMonterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute Moss Landing CA USAMonterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute Moss Landing CA USACooperative Institute for Marine Resources Studies (CIMRS) Hatfield Marine Science Center Oregon State University Newport OR USAAbstract In 2016, temperature recorders were recovered, temperatures were measured, and fluid samples were collected from Vent 1, a high temperature (338°C) hydrothermal discharge site on the southern Cleft Segment of the Juan de Fuca Ridge. Coupled with previous sampling efforts, this collection represents a 32‐year record of discharge from a single chimney structure, the longest record to date. Remarkably, the fluid has remained brine‐dominated for more than three decades. This brine formed during phase separation and segregation prior to initial observations in 1984. Although the chloride concentration of the discharging fluid has decreased with time, the fluid temperature has remained nearly constant for at least 3.3 years and probably for 15 or even 22 years. Compositions of the discharging fluids are consistent with inputs from a deep‐sourced brine, which was last equilibrated at >400°C at a depth consistent with the base of the sheeted dikes and the brittle‐ductile transition. This brine mixed (diffusion or dispersion) with a likely non‐phase‐separated, hydrothermal fluid prior to discharge. A survey of hydrothermal endmember fluids with chlorinities in excess of 700 mmol/kg shows, with the exception of Fe, a single trend between major ion concentrations and chlorinity even though data are from a range of crustal compositions, spreading rates, and water and magma depths. Calculated deep‐sourced brines from hydrothermal fluid data are similar to data based on fluid inclusions and estimates of brine assimilation in magmas. A better understanding of brines is required given their potential duration of discharge and capacity for mobilizing metals.https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GC009360HydrothermalbrineCleft SegmentJuan de Fucamid‐ocean ridgewater‐rock reaction
spellingShingle C. Geoffrey Wheat
Robert A. Zierenberg
Jennifer B. Paduan
David W. Caress
David A. Clague
William W. Chadwick Jr.
Changing Brine Inputs Into Hydrothermal Fluids: Southern Cleft Segment, Juan de Fuca Ridge
Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems
Hydrothermal
brine
Cleft Segment
Juan de Fuca
mid‐ocean ridge
water‐rock reaction
title Changing Brine Inputs Into Hydrothermal Fluids: Southern Cleft Segment, Juan de Fuca Ridge
title_full Changing Brine Inputs Into Hydrothermal Fluids: Southern Cleft Segment, Juan de Fuca Ridge
title_fullStr Changing Brine Inputs Into Hydrothermal Fluids: Southern Cleft Segment, Juan de Fuca Ridge
title_full_unstemmed Changing Brine Inputs Into Hydrothermal Fluids: Southern Cleft Segment, Juan de Fuca Ridge
title_short Changing Brine Inputs Into Hydrothermal Fluids: Southern Cleft Segment, Juan de Fuca Ridge
title_sort changing brine inputs into hydrothermal fluids southern cleft segment juan de fuca ridge
topic Hydrothermal
brine
Cleft Segment
Juan de Fuca
mid‐ocean ridge
water‐rock reaction
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GC009360
work_keys_str_mv AT cgeoffreywheat changingbrineinputsintohydrothermalfluidssoutherncleftsegmentjuandefucaridge
AT robertazierenberg changingbrineinputsintohydrothermalfluidssoutherncleftsegmentjuandefucaridge
AT jenniferbpaduan changingbrineinputsintohydrothermalfluidssoutherncleftsegmentjuandefucaridge
AT davidwcaress changingbrineinputsintohydrothermalfluidssoutherncleftsegmentjuandefucaridge
AT davidaclague changingbrineinputsintohydrothermalfluidssoutherncleftsegmentjuandefucaridge
AT williamwchadwickjr changingbrineinputsintohydrothermalfluidssoutherncleftsegmentjuandefucaridge