Hydrothermal Plume Mapping

Hydrothermal plume mapping is an integrated method for detecting, characterizing, and tracking buoyant plumes of hot, mineral-rich water discharged from submarine hydrothermal vents on the seafloor. Developed by Ed Baker and colleagues in the 1980s, hydrothermal plume mapping combines temperature, conductivity, optical, and chemical sensors to identify vent signatures and map their dispersal in the water column. The method enables discovery of new vents and assessment of chemical cycling in deep-sea ecosystems.