A thermodynamic explanation for black smoker temperatures

Jupp, Tim E.; Schultz, Adam

doi:10.1038/35002552

Cited by 115 publications

(123 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…anhydrite precipitation in the pore space (Martin and Lowell, 2000;Fontaine et al, 2001), (3) large changes of physical properties of water around the critical point (Wilcock, 1998;Jupp and Schultz, 2000), and (4) the development of a two-layer structure by phase separation (Bischoff and Rosenbauer, 1989). Among the four mechanisms, (2)-(4) are related to the properties of water around the critical point.…”

Section: Temperature Of the Vent Fluidmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Numerical simulations of mid-ocean ridge hydrothermal circulation including the phase separation of seawater

2014

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Phase separation of seawater is an important process controlling the dynamics and chemistry of hydrothermal circulation. We numerically investigate hydrothermal circulation in porous media, including phase separation of seawater. Seawater enters the crust at the seafloor, is heated at depth, and returns to the seafloor as hydrothermal fluids. The seafloor and the bottom of the calculation region are set at depths of 2500 m and 4000 m from the sea surface, respectively. The temperature at the base of the calculation region is set at 600• C. Under these pressure and temperature ranges, supercritical phase separation is inevitable. Here we focus on steady-state conditions, as a first step to investigate the complex process of convection with phase separation. Under these conditions, we demonstrate that phase separation leads to a two-layer structure. Seawater circulates vigorously in the upper layer, and this overlies a stagnant lower layer formed by sinking of dense brine. We find that the key quantity which governs this structure is the ratio of the relative velocity between the two phases to the mean flow velocity in the transition zone between the two layers. As the relative velocity increases, the brine layer becomes thick, and the transition zone becomes thin. Under steady state conditions, the mean salinity at the seafloor should be the same as that of seawater because the total mass of salt should be conserved. Fluids which vent near the ridge axis are more saline than seawater, whereas fluids which vent more than about 100 m away from the axis are less saline than seawater.

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Section: Temperature Of the Vent Fluidmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Jupp and Schultz (2000) used the equation of state of pure water to investigate the effect of anomalous physical properties of water near its critical point, 374…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Numerical simulations of mid-ocean ridge hydrothermal circulation including the phase separation of seawater

2014

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“…The hydrothermal cells operated especially in the Mg-rich crust at oceanfloor spreading centers, above mantle plumes and, to a lesser degree, from the hot submarine granitic crust. Peak temperatures were (and are still) controlled at 400°C at oceanic spreading centers by the thermodynamic properties of water (Jupp and Schultz 2000), and at 270°C in the granitic crust by the closure of fractures at depth as a result of pressure solution of quartz (Russell and Skauli 1991). The chemical behavior of the small highly charged magnesium ion dictated the pH of hydrothermal solutions during hydration of the newly forming oceanic crust at different temperatures.…”

Section: High Temperature Springsmentioning

confidence: 98%

The Alkaline Solution to the Emergence of Life: Energy, Entropy and Early Evolution

Russell

2007

Acta Biotheor

112

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The Earth agglomerates and heats. Convection cells within the planetary interior expedite the cooling process. Volcanoes evolve steam, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and pyrophosphate. An acidulous Hadean ocean condenses from the carbon dioxide atmosphere. Dusts and stratospheric sulfurous smogs absorb a proportion of the Sun's rays. The cooled ocean leaks into the stressed crust and also convects. High temperature acid springs, coupled to magmatic plumes and spreading centers, emit iron, manganese, zinc, cobalt and nickel ions to the ocean. Away from the spreading centers cooler alkaline spring waters emanate from the ocean floor. These bear hydrogen, formate, ammonia, hydrosulfide and minor methane thiol. The thermal potential begins to be dissipated but the chemical potential is dammed. The exhaling alkaline solutions are frustrated in their further attempt to mix thoroughly with their oceanic source by the spontaneous precipitation of biomorphic barriers of colloidal iron compounds and other minerals. It is here we surmise that organic molecules are synthesized, filtered, concentrated and adsorbed, while acetate and methane--separate products of the precursor to the reductive acetyl-coenzyme-A pathway-are exhaled as waste. Reactions in mineral compartments produce acetate, amino acids, and the components of nucleosides. Short peptides, condensed from the simple amino acids, sequester 'ready-made' iron sulfide clusters to form protoferredoxins, and also bind phosphates. Nucleotides are assembled from amino acids, simple phosphates carbon dioxide and ribose phosphate upon nanocrystalline mineral surfaces. The side chains of particular amino acids register to fitting nucleotide triplet clefts. Keyed in, the amino acids are polymerized, through acid-base catalysis, to alpha chains. Peptides, the tenuous outer-most filaments of the nanocrysts, continually peel away from bound RNA. The polymers are concentrated at cooler regions of the mineral compartments through thermophoresis. RNA is reproduced through a convective polymerase chain reaction operating between 40 and 100 degrees C. The coded peptides produce true ferredoxins, the ubiquitous proteins with the longest evolutionary pedigree. They take over the role of catalyst and electron transfer agent from the iron sulfides. Other iron-nickel sulfide clusters, sequestered now by cysteine residues as CO-dehydrogenase and acetyl-coenzyme-A synthase, promote further chemosynthesis and support the hatchery--the electrochemical reactor--from which they sprang. Reactions and interactions fall into step as further pathways are negotiated. This hydrothermal circuitry offers a continuous supply of material and chemical energy, as well as electricity and proticity at a potential appropriate for the onset of life in the dark, a rapidly emerging kinetic structure born to persist, evolve and generate entropy while the sun shines.

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“…The latent heat released in crystallizing the gabbroic crust must be conducted through the lid of the melt lens to the base of the axial hydrothermal system, which then advects the heat to the ocean. The temperature contrast across the lid is governed by the properties of magma (1100°-1200°C) and thermodynamic properties of seawater (350°-450°C where circulating in large volumes) and will vary only slightly with spreading rate and ridge depth (e.g., Jupp and Schultz, 2000). The heat flux through the lid per unit ridge length will therefore be proportional to the width of the lens and inversely proportional to the lid thickness.…”

Section: Rationale For the Superfast Spreading Crust Campaign And Locmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Teagle

Ildefonse

et al. 2011

IODP Preliminary Report

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A thermodynamic explanation for black smoker temperatures

Cited by 115 publications

References 20 publications

Numerical simulations of mid-ocean ridge hydrothermal circulation including the phase separation of seawater

Numerical simulations of mid-ocean ridge hydrothermal circulation including the phase separation of seawater

The Alkaline Solution to the Emergence of Life: Energy, Entropy and Early Evolution

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