Tracking the Evolution of a Hydrothermal Event Plume with a RAFOS Neutrally Buoyant Drifter

Abstract

The migration and evolution of a deep ocean hydrothermal event plume were tracked with a neutrally buoyant RAFOS float. The float remained entrained in the plume for 60 days, and the plume vorticity was calculated directly from the anticyclonic motion of the float. Concentrations of suspended particles, particulate iron, and dissolved manganese in the plume did not decay significantly during the 60 days, which indicates that event plumes would be easily detectable a year after formation.

Document Details

Document Type
Pub Defense Publication
Publication Date
May 15, 1998
Source ID
10.1126/science.280.5366.1052

Entities

People

  • Edward T. Baker
  • Gary J. Massoth
  • James P. Cowen
  • John E. Lupton
  • Newell Garfield
  • Richard A. Feely
  • Ronald R. Greene
  • Thomas A. Rago

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School
  • Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory
  • University of HawaiĘ»i System

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Atmospheric Science/Meteorology
  • Groundwater Contamination Remediation.
  • Ocean-Atmosphere Mesoscale Modeling, Data Assimilation, and Flux Boundary Layers