Hydrothermal Vents Are a Source of Old Refractory Organic Carbon to the Deep Ocean
George W. Luther
Abstract
Abstract Based on the C‐14 data of Druffel et al. (2021, https://doi.org/10.1029/2021gl092904 ) along the Eastern Pacific Rise, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in the deep ocean is old and thus refractory. Their data in combination with previous He‐3 data indicate that the source of this aged DOC is from the hot waters emanating from hydrothermal vents along the ridge axis. The isotopic and structural composition of the source DOC is unknown, which requires a concerted effort by the marine organic chemistry community to elucidate these chemical forms.
Topics & Concepts
Hydrothermal ventHydrothermal circulationDissolved organic carbonDeep seaRefractory (planetary science)RidgeGeologyCarbon fibersTotal organic carbonOceanographyGeochemistryPacific oceanIsotopes of carbonEarth scienceEnvironmental chemistryMineralogyEnvironmental sciencePaleontologyChemistryAstrobiologyMaterials sciencePhysicsComposite materialComposite numberMarine and coastal ecosystemsMarine Biology and Ecology ResearchOcean Acidification Effects and Responses