title: Asphalt volcanism and chemosynthetic life in the Campeche Knolls, Gulf of Mexico.
abstract: In the Campeche Knolls, in the southern Gulf of Mexico, lava-like flows of solidified asphalt cover more than 1 square kilometer of the rim of a dissected salt dome at a depth of 3000 meters below sea level. Chemosynthetic tubeworms and bivalves colonize the sea floor near the asphalt, which chilled and contracted after discharge. The site also includes oil seeps, gas hydrate deposits, locally anoxic sediments, and slabs of authigenic carbonate. Asphalt volcanism creates a habitat for chemosynthetic life that may be widespread at great depth in the Gulf of Mexico.
authors.affiliation: Physical and Life Sciences Department, Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi, 6300 Ocean Drive, Corpus Christi, TX 78412, USA. imacdonald@falcon.tamucc.edu
authors.forename: I R
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: MacDonald
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bohrmann
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Escobar
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Abegg
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Blanchon
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Blinova
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Brückmann
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Drews
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Eisenhauer
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Heeschen
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Meier
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mortera
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Naehr
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Orcutt
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bernard
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brooks
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Faragó
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000845:Annelida / Q000502:physiology; D037421:Anthozoa / Q000502:physiology; D018407:Bacterial Physiological Phenomena; D044822:Biodiversity; D049872:Bivalvia / Q000502:physiology; D003445:Crustacea / Q000502:physiology; D017753:Ecosystem; D004777:Environment; D005399:Fishes / Q000502:physiology; D005740:Gases; D019015:Geologic Sediments; D006838:Hydrocarbons; D007448:Invertebrates / Q000502:physiology; D008974:Mollusca / Q000502:physiology; D010578:Petroleum; D012623:Seawater; D018707:Volcanic Eruptions
chemical_list: D005740:Gases; D006838:Hydrocarbons; D010578:Petroleum; C006647:asphalt