Scientists explore hydrothermal vents under the Arctic ice cover
The HACON cruise may provide new insights into the biology and geochemistry of the mid-ocean ridge in ice-covered portions of the Arctic Ocean.
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Forty years after the discovery of hydrothermal vents, research on these unique habitats and their ecosystems is still in the exploratory phase. The discoveries of deep sea hydrothermal systems have changed the way we understand life on Earth, challenged our perception of the origin of life and are now fueling exploration for extra-terrestrial life in our solar system. The remote Arctic Gakkel Ridge, though briefly investigated by previous exploratory cruises, remains largely unexplored, and ecosystems in this northerly, under-ice region are still unfamiliar to us.
During September and October 2019, researchers from several Norwegian and international institutions, among them the K. G. Jebsen Centre for Deep Sea Research, were stationed on board the ice breaker RV Kronprins Haakon in the Arctic Ocean. Their work on board lays the foundation of the RCN-funded HACON project (Hot vents in an ice-covered ocean), which aims to push the frontiers of deep sea and Arctic research and test the hypothesis that the Gakkel Ridge provides a connecting pathway for gene flow between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. HACON will provide the first comprehensive study of deep (4000 m) hydrothermal vent ecosystems under ice in the Arctic region and unravel the physical, geochemical and ecological processes that shape the faunal communities.
For more information about the HACON project, please visit their website.
