Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Variable 3He/heat ratios in submarine hydrothermal systems: evidence from two plumes over the Juan de Fuca ridge

  • Letter
  • Published:

From Nature

View current issue Submit your manuscript

Abstract

The first vent fluid samples recovered from submarine hydrother-mal systems on the Galapagos Rift1 and at 21° N on the East Pacific Rise (EPR)2 had a nearly identical ratio of 3He/heat of ~0.5 x l0−12cm3STPcar−1, even though the two hydrothermal systems were separated geographically and had widely differing fluid exit temperatures (~20 and ~350 °C, respectively)3–5. Jenkins et al.3 combined this ratio with independent estimates of the flux of mantle 3He through the oceans6, to calculate a global oceanic hydrothermal heat flux of 4.9 x 1019cal yr−1, which is in excellent agreement with geophysical estimates for this flux7,8. Other investigators then combined this 3He flux with measured ratios of various chemicals in vent fluids to 3He (such as Mn/3He and Si/3He) to estimate global hydrothermal fluxes for these species1,9,10. Here we show that 3He/heat ratios vary by over an order of magnitude between submarine hydrothermal systems, suggesting that early measurements of the 3He/heat relation are not representative of all hydrothermal systems, and that flux calculations based on the oceanic 3He flux must be undertaken with caution.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Corliss, J. B. et al. Science 203, 1073–1083 (1979).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Spiess, F. N. et al. Science 207, 1421–1435 (1980).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Jenkins, W. J., Edmond, J. M. & Corliss, J. B. Nature 272, 156–158 (1978).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Lupton, J. E. et al. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 50, 115–127 (1980).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Welhan, J. A. & Craig, H. in Hydrothermal Processes at Seafloor Spreading Centers (eds Bostrom, K., Laubier, L., Rona, P. & Smith, K.) 391–409 (Plenum, New York, 1983).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  6. Craig, H., Clarke, W. B. & Beg, M. A. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 26, 125–132 (1975).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Wolery T. J. & Sleep, N. H. J. Geol. 84, 249–275 (1976).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Williams, D. L. & von Herzen, R. P. Geology 2, 327–328 (1974).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  9. Edmond, J. M. et al. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 46, 1–18 (1979).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Von Damm, K. L. et al. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 49, 2197–2220 (1985).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Baker, E. T., Massoth, G. J. & Feely, R. A. Nature 329, 149–151 (1987).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  12. Cann, J. & Strens, R. Nature 329, 104 (1987).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  13. Weiss, R. F., Lonsdale, P. F., Lupton, J. E., Bainbridge, A. E. & Craig, H. Nature 267, 600–603 (1977).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  14. Lupton, J. E., Delaney, J. R., Johnson, H. P. & Tivey, M. K. Nature 316, 621–623 (1985).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  15. Lupton, J. E. Eos 63, 1147 (1982).

    Google Scholar 

  16. Merlivat, L., Pineau, F. & Javoy, M. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 84, 100–108 (1987).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Lupton, J. E. Eos 64, 723 (1983).

    Google Scholar 

  18. Craig, H., Welhan, J. A. & Hilton, D. R. Eos 68, 1553 (1987).

    Google Scholar 

  19. Lupton, J. E. Eos 66, 929 (1985).

    Google Scholar 

  20. Rosenberg, N. D. et al. Nature 334, 604–607 (1988).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Canadian-American Seamount Expedition Nature 313, 212–214 (1985).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  22. Kennedy, B. M. Eos 66, 929 (1985).

    Google Scholar 

  23. Lonsdale, P. F. & Becker, K. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 73, 211–225 (1985).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Welhan, J. A. & Lupton, J. E. Bull. Am. Ass. Petrol. Geol. 71, 215–223 (1987).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Oxburgh, E. R. & O'Nions, R. K. Science 237, 1583–1588 (1987).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Speer, K. & Rona, P. Eos 68, 1325 (1987).

    Google Scholar 

  27. Normark, W. R., Morton, J. L., Koski, R. A., Clague, D. A. & Delaney, J. R. Geology 11, 158–163 (1983).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Bischoff, J. L. & Rosenbauer, R. J. Am. J. Sci. 285, 725–763 (1985).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Sleep, N. H., Morton, J. L., Burns, L. E. & Wolery, T. J. in Hydrothermal Processes at Seafloor Spreading Centers (eds Bostrom, K., Laubier, L., Rona, P. & Smith, K.) 53–69 (Plenum, New York, 1983).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  30. Morton, J. L. & Sleep, N. H. J. geophys. Res. 90, 11345–11353 (1985).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Marine Science Institute and Department of Geological Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, 93106, USA

    J. E. Lupton

  2. Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, Washington, 98115-0070, USA

    E. T. Baker & G. J. Massoth

Authors
  1. J. E. Lupton
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. E. T. Baker
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. G. J. Massoth
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lupton, J., Baker, E. & Massoth, G. Variable 3He/heat ratios in submarine hydrothermal systems: evidence from two plumes over the Juan de Fuca ridge. Nature 337, 161–164 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1038/337161a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/337161a0

  • Springer Nature Limited

This article is cited by

Search

Navigation