Heat Flux and Source Distributions in Western Ross Sea Seafloor

A shipboard survey collected seafloor heatflow/conductivity measurements, real-time seafloor visualization, water-column hydrothermal signal acquisition, and rock samples via dredging in the western Ross Sea. The project, conducted by AMD_USAPDC, aims to identify lithospheric heat sources influencing ocean-cryosphere dynamics. Deliverables include new geospatial information data publicly available via NSF-funded repositories.

Use Cases

• Model ice flow dynamics by correlating geothermal heat flux measurements with Terror Rift volcanic activity data.
• Analyze ocean circulation patterns using water-column hydrothermal signal acquisition data from the seafloor survey.
• Refine geodynamic timeseries of the West Antarctic Rift System using compiled geophysics grids and rock sample geochemistry.
• Study seafloor-ocean interactions and biogeochemical cycles by integrating heat flow measurements with direct seafloor observations.
• Test hypotheses on magmatic intrusion as a primary lithospheric heat source using the compiled dataset of all survey measurements.

Strengths

• Data collection includes multiple modalities: heatflow measurements, seafloor visualization, hydrothermal signals, and rock samples.
• Project focuses on the Terror Rift, a key area within one of the world's largest rift systems, providing targeted geospatial information.
• Deliverables will be publicly available via NSF-funded data repositories, ensuring accessibility.

Limitations

• Specific row counts, column details, and sample sizes for each data type (e.g., number of heatflow measurements) are unknown.
• The dataset's completeness and integration level across the different collected modalities (geophysics grids, rock samples) are not specified.
• Temporal coverage is described broadly (Pliocene-Quaternary to present) but precise dates for collected measurements are unclear.

Provenance

Source

AMD_USAPDC, via NASA EarthData platform.

Collection Method

Shipboard survey collecting heatflow/conductivity measurements, seafloor visualization, hydrothermal signal acquisition, and rock dredging.

Time Range

Focus includes volcanic activity from 5 million years to present-day, with survey data collected during the project period.

Freshness

Project deliverables have a planned availability date of 2026-09-30.

Geography

Western Ross Sea seafloor, specifically the Terror Rift within the West Antarctic Rift System.