Hydrothermal Venting and Mineralization in the Crater of Kick'em Jenny Submarine Volcano, Grenada (Lesser Antilles)

Authors

Steven Carey, University of Rhode Island
Rene Olsen, University of Rhode Island
Katherine L.C. Bell, Ocean Exploration Trust
Robert Ballard, University of Rhode Island
Frederic Dondin, University of the West Indies
Chris Roman, University of Rhode Island
Clara Smart, University of Rhode Island
Marvin Lilley, University of Washington
John Lupton, Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory
Brad Seibel, University of Rhode IslandFollow
Winton Cornell, University of Tulsa
Craig Moyer, Western Washington University

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2016

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.1002/2015GC006060

Abstract

Kick'em Jenny is a frequently erupting, shallow submarine volcano located 7.5 km off the northern coast of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles subduction zone. Focused and diffuse hydrothermal venting is taking place mainly within a small (∼70 × 110 m) depression within the 300 m diameter crater of the volcano at depths of about 265 m. Much of the crater is blanketed with a layer of fine-grained tephra that has undergone hydrothermal alteration. Clear fluids and gas are being discharged near the center of the depression from mound-like vents at a maximum temperature of 180°C. The gas consists of 93–96% CO2 with trace amounts of methane and hydrogen. Gas flux measurements of individual bubble streams range from 10 to 100 kg of CO2 per day. Diffuse venting with temperatures 5–35°C above ambient occurs throughout the depression and over large areas of the main crater. These zones are colonized by reddish-yellow bacteria with the production of Fe-oxyhydroxides as surface coatings, fragile spires up to several meters in height, and elongated mounds up to tens of centimeters thick. A high-resolution photomosaic of the inner crater depression shows fluid flow patterns descending the sides of the depression toward the crater floor. We suggest that the negatively buoyant fluid flow is the result of phase separation of hydrothermal fluids at Kick'em Jenny generating a dense saline component that does not rise despite its elevated temperature.

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Was this content written or created while at USF?

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Citation / Publisher Attribution

Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, v. 17, issue 3, p. 1000-1019

©2016. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved.

Scholar Commons Citation

Carey, Steven; Olsen, Rene; Bell, Katherine L.C.; Ballard, Robert; Dondin, Frederic; Roman, Chris; Smart, Clara; Lilley, Marvin; Lupton, John; Seibel, Brad; Cornell, Winton; and Moyer, Craig, "Hydrothermal Venting and Mineralization in the Crater of Kick'em Jenny Submarine Volcano, Grenada (Lesser Antilles)" (2016). Marine Science Faculty Publications. 2340.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/msc_facpub/2340