Hydrothermal Vent 17°N

Latitude: 16.958^οN Longitude: 144.869^οE  Depth: 3280 mbsl

Black smoker hydrothermal vent found at 17°N was an interesting discovery in the Mariana backarc basin. It was venting 339°C through a 30 m high chimney with several black smoker orifices. During the visit, a few other chimneys about 14-15 m were observed and one of them was another black smoker. There were number of different organisms living on and around these chimneys such as Chorocaris sp. Shrimp, Paralvinella polychaetes, Alvinoconcha hessleri sp., gastropods, polynoids, several species of limpets (poss Shinkailepis sp.) and Austinograea wiliamsi crabs, and actiniarians. In the areas of diffuse venting, Bathymodiolus mussels were also observed (Okeanos Explorer 2016 dive summary).

Table 1: Operations history for Hydrothermal vent 17°N

Ship/ Platform	Operation	Year	Dive Number	References
EX1605/Deep Discoverer	CTD, Scanning sonar	2016 May (Leg 1)	11	Okeanos Explorer 2016 dive summary

Table 2: Vent activity and host rocks

Activity and host rocks	References
Vent Activity	Active	Okeanos Explorer 2016 dive summary
Host Rocks	Not found

Table 3: Vent fluid characteristics

Vent Fluids	References
Temparature (°C)	339	Okeanos Explorer 2016 dive summary

Table 4: Vent biology

General name	Phylum	Genus/Species	References
Anemones	Cnidaria	Marianactis bythios	Okeanos Explorer 2016 dive summary
Crabs	Arthropoda	Austinograea williamsi	Okeanos Explorer 2016 dive summary
Cusk eel	Chordata		Okeanos Explorer 2016 dive summary
Limpets	Mollusca		Okeanos Explorer 2016 dive summary
Mussels	Mollusca		Okeanos Explorer 2016 dive summary
Shrimp	Arthropoda	Chorocaris	Okeanos Explorer 2016 dive summary
Snail	Mollusca	Alvinoconcha hessleri	Okeanos Explorer 2016 dive summary
Squat lobster	Arthropoda	Munidopsis galatheids	Okeanos Explorer 2016 dive summary
Tubeworms	Annelida	Paralvinella	Okeanos Explorer 2016 dive summary
Urchin	Echinodermata		Okeanos Explorer 2016 dive summary

Images:

• Okeanos Explorer 2016 dive summary

Video Links:

• Hydrothermal vent
• Black smoker
• 30 m high chimney (note: search “incredible active hydrothermal vent”)

Cruise Reports:

1. NOAA Okeanos Explorer 2016 https://docs.lib.noaa.gov/OEDV/Okeanos_Explorer_2016_EX1605/Leg_1/doc/rov_dive_summaries/EX1605l1_Dive11_Summary_20160501_FINAL.pdf (accessed: 07/05/2016)