Cleft Segment

Cleft Segment

A 14-day research expedition with an ROV or submersible is proposed for year 2 of this study. During the research expedition we will sample discharging fluids using gas-tight isobaric fluid samplers (Seewald et al., 2001) from eight previously sampled sites, each with multiple structures and some with focused and diffuse discharge, two new sites that were discovered in the 1984 and were active in 2016, and other possible sites related to topographic highs within the “Cleft”. One dive is required for each site to survey the site, locate active discharge, measure the temperature of active discharge, collect hydrothermal and “background” fluids, deploy continuous fluid samplers (OsmoSamplers) and temperature probes at four representative sites for week-long deployments, and deploy temperature probes for legacy opportunities.