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The National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research has performed multiple geophysical surveys along the Central and Southern Ridge of the Indian Ocean since 2012 on the lookout for hydrothermal vents.

About Hydrothermal vents

Hydrothermal vents are underwater springs that form in tectonically active areas where seawater interacts with magma beneath the ocean floor.

Location

Ridges, e.g. Central and southern Indian Ocean ridge, convergent plate boundaries, volcanic regions, oceanic trenches

Formation

• Cold water inflow: Seawater at a temperature of about 2 °C seeps into cracks in the oceanic crust caused by tectonic activity.
• Heating by magma: Water heats up to extreme temperatures (up to 370°C) when it comes into contact with magma.
• Chimney formation: As hot water meets cold seawater, minerals solidify and form chimney-like structures around the vents.

Key Features

• It includes chimneys and black smokehouses emitting super-hot mineral-rich plumes.
• It hosts rich deposits of copper, zinc, gold, silver, platinum, iron, cobalt, and nickel.
• It supports chemosynthetic organisms thriving in a mineral-rich environment.
• This discovery highlights the potential for resource exploration and study of extreme marine ecosystems.

Importance

Mineral Deposits: Hydrothermal vent deposits are generally rich in copper, zinc, gold, silver, platinum, iron, cobalt, nickel, and other economically beneficial minerals and metals.

Ecological insights: Hydrothermal vents host unique ecosystems that rely on chemosynthesis rather than photosynthesis. These ecosystems support a variety of organisms such as giant tube worms, crabs, clams, and shrimp, many of which are found nowhere else.

Scientific Research: Provides insight into deep geological processes and resource potential and supports strategic initiatives such as India's Deep Ocean Mission.

Samudrayan Mission

• India's first manned exploration mission by sending 3 aquanauts to the depths of the ocean up to 6000 meters.
• Objective - To study the resources of the deep ocean and also conduct biodiversity assessments.
• Part of the larger Deep Ocean mission.
• Nodal Ministry - Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES)

Deep Ocean Mission

• Objective - To explore deep-sea resources and develop deep-sea technologies for the sustainable use of ocean resources.
• It will be a mission-mode project to support blue economy initiatives.
• Nodal Ministry – Ministry of Earth Sciences

Main components

• Development of a manned submersible: MATSYA 6000
• Integrated mining system for mining polymetallic nodes.
• Identifies multimetallic hydrothermal sulfide mineralization along the mid-ocean ridges of the Indian Ocean.
• Desalination plants powered by Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) technology.

Source:

Indian Express