ASHES vent field
| Axial Seamount Hydrothermal Emissions Study (ASHES) Vent Field | |
|---|---|
| A series of hydrothermal vents atop Axial Seamount. | |
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| Location | Juan de Fuca Ridge |
| Coordinates | 45°55′35.76″N 129°58′46.2″W / 45.9266000°N 129.979500°W |
| Area | 2,826 square metres (30,420 ft2) |
| Min. elevation | 1,550 metres (5,090 ft) |
The Axial Seamount Hydrothermal Emissions Study or ASHES vent field is a basalt-hosted hydrothermal vent field located on the side of Axial Seamount's caldera at approximately 1,550 metres (5,090 ft) deep.[1] The site is distinct from other hydrothermal ecosystems as a long-term study site of the Ocean Observatories Initiative's Regional Cable Array, one of the few hydrothermal systems with real-time data.[2]
Protection
Human activity at ASHES is almost entirely scientific, with most impact coming from research expeditions, observatory maintenance, and ROV operations.[3]
As with Axial Seamount, ASHES is located 300 miles (480 km) off the coast of Oregon and as such is classified as a location in the high seas and not a marine protected area.[4]
References
- ^ Butterfield, David A.; Massoth, Gary J.; McDuff, Russell E.; Lupton, John E.; Lilley, Marvin D. (1990). "Geochemistry of hydrothermal fluids from Axial Seamount hydrothermal emissions study vent field, Juan de Fuca Ridge: Subseafloor boiling and subsequent fluid-rock interaction". Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth. 95 (B8): 12895–12921. Bibcode:1990JGR....9512895B. doi:10.1029/JB095iB08p12895.
- ^ "Axial Caldera – OOI Regional Cabled Array". Ocean Observatories Initiative. Retrieved 27 January 2026.
- ^ "ASHES Virtual Site". www.pmel.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2026-01-27.
- ^ "Axial Seamount". www.usgs.gov. U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved 27 January 2026.