Eruption of a deep-sea mud volcano triggers rapid sediment movement

Abstract

Submarine mud volcanoes are important sources of methane to the water column. However, the temporal variability of their mud and methane emissions is unknown. Methane emissions were previously proposed to result from a dynamic equilibrium between upward migration and consumption at the seabed by methane-consuming microbes. Here we show non-steady-state situations of vigorous mud movement that are revealed through variations in fluid flow, seabed temperature and seafloor bathymetry. Time series data for pressure, temperature, pH and seafloor photography were collected over 431 days using a benthic observatory at the active Håkon Mosby Mud Volcano. We documented 25 pulses of hot subsurface fluids, accompanied by eruptions that changed the landscape of the mud volcano. Four major events triggered rapid sediment uplift of more than a metre in height, substantial lateral flow of muds at average velocities of 0.4 m per day, and significant emissions of methane and CO2 from the seafloor.

Active mud volcanoes on the continental slope of the Canadian Beaufort Sea

“…These scarps may be created by relative surface displacements due to compaction of previous flows or horizontal motion of a surface crust on the plateau. Similar surface features have been seen on other marine mud volcanoes where both lateral and vertical movements in the surface layers have been documented by both repeat mapping and movements recorded in deployed Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems 10.1002/2015GC005928 equipment [Feseker et al, 2008[Feseker et al, , 2014Foucher et al, 2010]. The truncated fan and scarp above the ovoid feature at the 740 m mud volcano (Figure 8) shows that venting has occurred 11.5 m higher than the present level of the ovoid plateau.…”

“…Mud volcanoes and other sites on the seafloor where hydrocarbon venting occurs have attracted considerable attention from the research community, as they frequently host gas hydrate deposits within the sediments near the seafloor, support chemosynthetic biological communities, and affect the stability of the surrounding seafloor [e.g., Lösekann et al ., ; Feseker et al ., , b, ]. Individual mud volcano eruptions can emit relatively large amounts of methane.…”

Production, consumption, and migration of methane in accretionary prism of southwestern Taiwan

“…As a consequence, the net flux of methane released into the seawater column would be enhanced at seeps with high advection rates [ Treude et al ., ; Haese et al ., ; Wallmann et al ., ]. Alternatively, mud volcanism and associated temperature fluctuations have been considered to inhibit benthic methane consumption [ Feseker et al ., ]. In this study, the BE values for six sites proximal to cold seeps and mud diapirs were less than 50%.…”

A Post-Genomic View of the Ecophysiology, Catabolism and Biotechnological Relevance of Sulphate-Reducing Prokaryotes

“…It is assumed that among other factors tectonic and seismic activities, sedimentary loading and active hydrocarbon formation lead to the high pore-fluid pressure in the sediments. Mud volcanoes occur in irregular belts in terrestrial and offshore environments and represent a significant source of atmospheric methane during the volcanoes' quiescent as well as eruptive phases (Dimitrov, 2002;Feseker et al, 2014). Interestingly, Archean serpentine mud volcanoes at Isua (Greenland) are suggested as a niche for an early molecular evolution due to their reduced character and alkaline pH (Pons et al, 2011).…”