|
Meteor test cruise
2006
BIONIL - Biogeochemical studies of gas, mud
and fluid seepage at the Nile deep-sea fan
| DATE: |
23.
Oct - 24. Nov 2006 |
|
CHIEF SCIENTIST:
|
Prof.
Dr. A. Boetius |
| OBJECTIVE: |
At
continental margins fluids, gases and solids
are emitted from the seafloor into the ocean
via different and highly variable processes
in space and time – ranging from slow
diffusive flows to catastrophic eruptions.
Fluids expelled from mud volcanoes, pockmarks
and gas-chimneys often contain large quantities
of methane, mud, and water, with variable
salt content and variable trace and isotopic
compositions. Currently, the global inventory
of fluid seeps at passive continental margins
is growing rapidly, but geological, chemical
and biological processes operating at those
fluid seeps remain poorly understood. The
proposed METEOR expedition “BIONIL”
contributes 1) to the EUROCORES/EUROMARGINS
project MEDIFLUX which carries out a comprehensive
investigation of fluid seepage at the Nile
deep-sea fan, and 2) to the GEOTECHNOLOGIEN
program MUMM II studying the microbiology
and biogeochemistry of methane and sulfur
turnover by in situ technologies. At the
Nile deep-sea fan, a large variety of active
fluid escape structures have been identified
at depths from 1000-3000 m, including young,
actively gas emitting mud volcanoes, giant
brine pools and ancient seep ecosystems.
The main objectives of BIONIL are to understand
the controls and mechanisms of chemical
element transport and breakdown by seep
biota, and to obtain insight in element
cycling and export at different types of
fluid seeps in the Eastern Mediterranean. |
| EQUIPMENT: |
METEOR
70/2 / ROV QUEST |
| EMAIL: |
aboetius mpi-bremen.de
|
|
[