Blog Post Image: Newly discovered ocean plume could be major source of iron

Analyses of some of the seawater samples gathered during the CoFeMUG expedition revealed a plume of iron and manganese released to the South Atlantic Ocean along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, where as yet undiscovered hydrothermal vents are located. The figure plots ocean depth and sampling location, with elevated iron concentrations indicated by warm colors (red, orange, etc). The higher iron concentrations persist for more than 1,000 km, which suggests that hydrothermal vents serve as important iron sources. (Figure by Abigail Noble, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution) (Click image to enlarge)