Seafloor hydrothermal systems of intraoceanic arcs

Research dedicated to seafloor hydrothermal activity along intraoceanic arcs was sporadic and uncoordinated prior to the 1999 NZAPLUME cruise that systematically surveyed hydrothermal plumes along 260 km of the southern Kermadec arc, New Zealand. Since that time, ten government-sponsored research cruises focused on hydrothermal venting and associated mineralization have taken place along the Kermadec arc, led by New Zealand institutions in conjunction with American, German and Japanese collaborators. At least three research cruises have been completed along the Tofua (Tonga) arc, in addition to several industry-sponsored expeditions. Similarly, several research cruises have studied the seafloor hydrothermal systems of the Mariana and to a lesser extent, Izu-Bonin arcs, typically led by American and Japanese workers, respectively. Much fewer expeditions have occured along the New Hebrides intraoceanic arc while no studies have been done along the South Sandwich arc. A few studies have been done on seafloor hydrothermal systems along the submarine portions of island arcs, namely; the Tabar-Lihir-Tanga-Feni, the Aeolian and the Lesser Antilles arcs.