Deployment: TONGA2019

Project TONGA: shallow hydroThermal sOurces of trace elemeNts: potential impacts on biological productivity and the bioloGicAl carbon pump

The objectives of the cruise were to investigate at least two active volcanoes where shallow (less than 500 meters) hydrothermal sites could release chemical elements both able to fertilize and/or bring toxicity to the planktonic food web.

Task 1: Characterize chemically and optically the hydrothermal fluids and compare the source from below (shallow hydrothermal fluids) with the source from above (atmospheric deposition);

Task 2: Related to the dynamical dispersion of the fluids at small and regional scales;

Task 3: Investigate the impact of the shallow hydrothermal sources on the biological activity and diversity, and the feedback to the atmosphere via the oceanic emissions of primary and secondary aerosols.

More information can be found on the project website: http://tonga-project.org/web/