M210

[Bitte aktivieren Sie Javascript] 2

Distribution of Venting Along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (29–38°N) and Implications for Hydrothermal Exchange and Vent Ecosystems: Part 2

Expedition

27. April – 27. May 2025

Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal – Las Palmas, Canary Islands, Spain

Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Chief Scientist

Christian Borowski, Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology

Participating Institutions

MARUM broadcasts the dives of the remotely operated vehicle ROV MARUM-QUEST5000 from the North Atlantic live from the German research vessel RV METEOR. The livestream of all dives will be available on the following website: https://www.youtube.com/user/marumTV

Research topics

M210 builds on and continues the research of the MARUM [Bitte aktivieren Sie Javascript] expedition M190 in June/July 2023.

The major research topics are:

Diversity of the hydrothermal fluids between km-spaced vents and the geological controls of this diversity.
Effects of vent distribution and fluid composition variability on the genetic and metabolic diversity of symbiotic and free-living microbes.
Genetic connectivity between vents separated by different distance scales and their role as stepping stone habitats for hydrothermal vent organisms
Plume transport from the ridge axis into the open ocean.
Fe export into the plume and fate of Fe in the plume: Transformation of metals within the ascending and neutrally buoyant portions of hydrothermal plumes and fate of metals controlled by primary differences in metal:sulfide and metal:carbon ratios.

Main working tool

Abbildung zeigt FS Meteor & ROV QUEST 5000

The main working tool of M210, the ROV MARUM QUEST 5000 of the "Center for Deep Sea Research (ZfT)" at the University of Bremen, is deployed for the first time. It can dive to depths of up to 5000 m and offers a higher payload capacity, more powerful data transmission and hydraulic systems than its predecessor QUEST 4000, which it replaces after 20 years of deep-sea research.

Working Area

Hydrothermal vents of the Azores region on the northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge:

Menez Gwen and Bubbylon
Lucky Strike and adjacent satellite vents Ewan, Capelinhos, Grunnus,
Saldanha Seamount
Rainbow vent field and adjacent pit sites

Impressions

Expedition M190 photos of the proposed work areas. High temperature venting in the main hydrothermal field at Rainbow (upper left). Mussel beds in the Rainbow Pits site (lower left). Seafloor observatory in the Rainbow Pits site (upper right). Mussel beds and filamentous bacteria mats in the Ewan hydrothermal field on the south flank of Lucky Strike Seamount.