ITR: VIP (Vents Imaging and Processing): A System of Dynamic Data Analysis and Prediction for Hydrothermal Plumes

Hydrothermal plumes, commonly called black smokers, are formed by hot fluids discharging from seafloor vents on mid-ocean spreading ridges. These fluids entrain the ambient seawater as they rise and are important to understanding the global transport of heat and chemicals in the ocean (which is a factor in climate studies) and to understanding the evolution of marine organisms and microbes. Currently, there are both remote sensing and in-situ methodologies to observe plumes including acoustic imaging, temperature sensors, etc. This proposal combines the data collected by such methods with numerical models in order to develop new predictive models of entrainment and transport.

A dynamic data-driven analysis model will be developed and utilized with acoustic imaging instrumentation system in order to provide the immediate feedback necessary to maximize the utility of field experiments.

This analysis system will drive predictive models of the entrainment and transport of biological and geological material by the observed hydrothermal plumes, which will facilitate the particulate sampling programs needed to understand larval and chemical transport in the ocean and validate the accuracy of the acoustic imaging method.

Broader Impact: The VIP system has the potential to revolutionize the study of hydrothermal plumes by making it possible to gather data efficiently and site measurement instrumentation effectively. This is especially timely given that the NSF RIDGE 2000 program is preparing for an intensive program of studies at the three selected Integrated Study Sites.The VIP system is also applicable to the study of other phenomena such as bubble plumes from methane seeps above gas hydrate deposits, and deep ocean sewage outfall plumes.