OSCAR - Oceanographic and Seismic Characterisation of heat dissipation and alteration by hydrothermal fluids at an Axial Ridge
Lead Research Organisation:
Newcastle University
Department Name: Sch of Natural & Environmental Sciences
Abstract
Please see the Objectives section on the JeS application by Dr. R. Hobbs, from the University of Durham, under the same title.
Planned Impact
Please see the Objectives section on the JeS application by Dr. R. Hobbs, from the University of Durham, under the same title.
Publications
Banyte D
(2018)
Geothermal Heating in the Panama Basin: 1. Hydrography of the Basin
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans
Banyte D
(2018)
Geothermal Heating in the Panama Basin. Part II: Abyssal Water Mass Transformation
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans
Banyte D
(2018)
The Weakly Stratified Bottom Boundary Layer of the Global Ocean
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans
Barnes J
(2018)
Idealised modelling of ocean circulation driven by conductive and hydrothermal fluxes at the seabed
in Ocean Modelling
Davies R
(2017)
Millennial-scale shifts in the methane hydrate stability zone due to Quaternary climate change
in Geology
Funnell M
(2021)
Evolution and properties of young oceanic crust: constraints from Poisson's ratio
in Geophysical Journal International
Lowell R
(2020)
Magma-hydrothermal interactions at the Costa Rica Rift from data collected in 1994 and 2015
in Earth and Planetary Science Letters
Tang Q
(2019)
Detecting changes at the leading edge of an interface between oceanic water layers.
in Nature communications
| Description | We have completed the fieldwork component of the project with two very successful cruises (on RRS James Cook and FS Sonne) between November 2014 and March 2015. The outcome of these two campaigns is an invaluable collection of datasets on temperature, salinity, currents, bottom pressure and turbulence across the Panama Basin. Armed with this wealth of data, we have constructed a preliminary chart of water properties in the Panama Basin and evaluated the contribution of hydrothermal flows to the heat budget of the basin. We have found that up to 65% of the heat fluxes into the basin may be of hydrothermal/geothermal origin, which means that the basin would be mostly heated from below rather than from above, as occurs in most other parts of the ocean. This is quite unique. Results from this research have been presented at the Ocean Sciences Conference, 2016 (see URL below) and will be shortly be submitted for publication. Last year, we had incurred some delay in the publication of our findings, but three papers were being finalised and prepared to be submitted to international peer reviewed journals. These papers address: 1) Circulation in the Panama Basin; 2) Mixing in the Panama Basin associated with geothermal/hydrothermal fluxes; 3) Abyssal mixing in the World Ocean. These three papers have now been submitted and we are waiting for the reviews. A third paper led by one of our collaborators, Bob Lowell from Virginia Tech, on the observation of a buoyant hydrothermal plume is being drafted at present. |
| Exploitation Route | It is early days in the project, but the understanding gained on abyssal circulations driven by hydrothermal and geothermal flows can be of use for assessing the environmental impacts of activities such as deep sea mining and carbon sequestration. In addition, the results of our research in the Panama Basin can be extended in various ways to the wider global ocean and will be of great interest to the physical oceanographic community. |
| Sectors | Education Environment |
| URL | https://agu.confex.com/agu/os16/preliminaryview.cgi/Paper90108.html |
| Title | Oceanographic data for archival |
| Description | The oceanographic data collected during the OSCAR cruises is being prepared for archival and will be deposited in the BODC archives this year. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2018 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | For the moment, we are the only research group using the data. |
| Title | Two ocean models specifically devoted to OSCAR investigations |
| Description | A model based on NEMO has been developed for the investigation on processes controlling the impact of hydrothermal/geothermal flows in the abyssal circulation at the basin scale (developed by Jowan Barnes) A second, more realistic model, based on HYCOM, has been developed by one of the co-Is (Alex Megann) for the Panama Basin |
| Type Of Material | Computer model/algorithm |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Several papers on model outputs are being prepared |
| Description | Collaboration with GEOMAR - Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel |
| Organisation | Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres |
| Department | Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel |
| Country | Germany |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We are providing ocean vertical microstructure profile data for analysis. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Experts from GEOMAR are providing advice to one of the OSCAR postdocs (Donata Banyte) on the quality control and analysis of vertical microstructure profiler data, which is key for the determination of ocean vertical mixing in the Panama Basin, one of the most important objectives of our project. |
| Impact | The collaboration has just started. Outputs will materialise in 2017-2018. |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | Collaboration with Institute of Geophysics and Meteorology, University of Cologne, Germany. |
| Organisation | University of Cologne |
| Department | Institute of Geophysics and Meteorology |
| Country | Germany |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Donata Banyte, physical oceanographer and postdoctoral researcher in OSCAR, uses facilities in the said institution when visiting Germany, her home country. |
| Collaborator Contribution | They provide computing and office facilities for Donata Banyte when she is visiting Germany so that she can continue working on OSCAR while away. |
| Impact | This informal collaboration has helped sustain Donata's productivity while she is abroad visiting her home country. |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | AGU Conference 2017 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Major international conference. Poster presented by Donata Banyte on OSCAR oceanography. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | https://fallmeeting.agu.org/2017/ |
| Description | AGU Conference 2017 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Major international conference. Poster on OSCAR modelling presented by Jowan barnes. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | https://fallmeeting.agu.org/2017/ |
| Description | Challenger Conference 2016 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Major national conference. Poster on OSCAR modelling by Jowan Barnes. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/challenger-conference-2016/ |
| Description | Challenger Society Conference 2016 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Major national oceanography conference. Oral presentation by Donata Banyte on OSCAR Oceanography. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/challenger-conference-2016/ |
| Description | Ocean Sciences Conference 2016 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Seminar on developments relating to research carried out as part of the project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Ocean Sciences Conference 2018 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Major international conference. Presentation by Donata Banyte on OSCAR oceanography. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | https://osm.agu.org/2018/ |
| Description | Ocean Sciences Conference 2018 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Major international conference. Presentation by Jowan Barnes on OSCAR modelling. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | https://osm.agu.org/2018/ |
| Description | Presentation at LOCEAN (Paris) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Invited presentation by Donata Banyte. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Presentation to students at Durham University |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | A presentation on the project to undergraduate and postgraduate students |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |