Distribution of Venting Along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (29–38°N) and Implications for Hydrothermal Exchange and Vent Ecosystems
Research cruise:
M210 with R/V Meteor to the Atlantic Ocean
28.04. – 27.05.2025
Participating institutions:
- Constructor University, Bremen
- University of Bremen
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology
- University of Lyon
In late April, a multidisciplinary research team embarked on expedition M210 aboard the RV METEOR, departing from Ponta Delgada to investigate hydrothermal activity along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) between 36° and 38°N. The team, including researchers from Constructor University, the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, MARUM at the University of Bremen, and several European universities, focused on understanding the transport and transformation of trace metals in these environments.
Building upon a previous expedition M190, M210 aimed to resolve outstanding questions related to trace metal fluxes, organic interaction and microbial behavior at hydrothermal vent sites. The Constructor University geochemistry team investigated the mobilization and behavior of elements such as Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, and rare earth elements (REEs). These metals are released through high-temperature water–rock interactions and undergo complex speciation and redox transformations in both focused vent fluids and diffuse flows. Understanding these processes is essential for evaluating their impact on the ocean’s elemental inventory.
To obtain uncontaminated samples, the team deployed the MARUM-QUEST 5000 remotely operated vehicle (ROV) for its inaugural dives. To follow the press announcements, the reader is referred to the links below. The ROV was equipped with the Kiel Pumping System (KIPS) and trace-metal-clean Go-Flo bottles, enabling direct sampling of hydrothermal fluids and associated materials. A custom-designed trace-metal-clean rosette (TMR) was also used to collect water column samples above vent fields, allowing for the study of non-buoyant hydrothermal plumes.
Our research questions for this expedition:
- What are the principal transport pathways of trace metals within hydrothermal systems?
- How do thermal and pressure gradients affect their speciation and reactivity?
- What role do metal-to-sulfide and metal-to-carbon ratios play in determining trace metal mobility and interactions with microbial communities?
Initial dives at the Menez Gwen and Rainbow hydrothermal fields provided critical observations. At Rainbow, the team encountered complex hydrothermal structures and thriving biological assemblages dominated by mussels and shrimp. A significant achievement was the recovery of a long-term seafloor observatory from the Rainbow Pits from researchers at Lyon and Orleans.
After 5 weeks on board the R/V Meteor, the team of Constructor University Bremen, consisting of Eva-Maria Meckel, Eirini Anagnostou and Ana-Maria Munteanu, returned with a valuable collection of samples for interesting research endeavours in the near future.
