SEABED FLUID FLOW: THE IMPACT ON GEOLOGY, BIOLOGY AND THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT

Seabed fluid flow, also known as submarine seepages, involves the flow of gases and liquids through the seabed. This includes hot hydrothermal vents, and cold hydrocarbon seeps - the hydrocarbons may be of thermogenic or microbial origin. Such fluids have been found to leak out through the seabed into the marine environment in seas and oceans around the world - from the coasts to deep ocean trenches. This geological phenomenon has widespread implications for the sub-seabed, seabed and marine environments. Seabed fluid flow affects seabed morphology (including pockmarks and mud volcanoes), mineralisation and benthic ecology - sustaining unique chemosynthetic biological communities. Natural fluid emissions also have a significant impact on the composition of the oceans and atmosphere; methane emissions have important implications for the global climate. Shallow gas is a significant geohazard to offshore operations, seeps are a petroleum exploration aid, and gas hydrates and hydrothermal minerals are potential future resources. This book describe seabed fluid flow features and processes, and demonstrates their importance to human activities, natural environments and the workings of our planet. It is targeted at the growing community of research scientists with interests in the marine environment (above and below the seabed), and at those involved in the exploration for, and exploitation of, marine resources. Seabed Fluid Flow is also supported by a website (www.cambridge.org/9780521819503) hosting colour versions of many of the illustrations and additional material - most notably feature location maps.