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January 6, 2021: Sulfide Chimneys

Sulfide chimneys coated with iron-based microbial mat at the Urashima vent site, which is named after the Japanese autonomous underwater vehicle that was mapping plumes in the area and discovered the vents in 2009. While exploring this site during the Submarine Ring of Fired 2014 - Ironman expedition, the team discovered two new and very distinctive iron-mat mounds that exhibited diffuse venting. They named one of the mounds “Saipanda Horn,” after a mythical beast from Saipan that has an orange-yellow horn, just like the color of the mats found.

Image courtesy of Submarine Ring of Fire 2014 - Ironman, NSF/NOAA, Jason, Copyright WHOI. Download larger version (jpg, 1.8 MB).

Sulfide chimneys coated with iron-based microbial mat at the Urashima vent site, which is named after the Japanese autonomous underwater vehicle that was mapping plumes in the area and discovered the vents in 2009. While exploring this site during the Submarine Ring of Fired 2014 - Ironman expedition, the team discovered two new and very distinctive iron-mat mounds that exhibited diffuse venting. They named one of the mounds “Saipanda Horn,” after a mythical beast from Saipan that has an orange-yellow horn, just like the color of the mats found.

From: Return to NW Rota-1 Seamount.