Extensive magmatic and hydrothermal activity documented in Manus Basin

Gold Content of Eastern Manus Basin Volcanic Rocks: Implications for Enrichment in Associated Hydrothermal Precipitates

Hydrothermal precipitates associated with active vents in the eastern Manus back-arc basin, Papua New Guinea, are among the most gold rich yet discovered on the modern sea floor. The volcanic rocks associated with this mineralization were investigated to determine if they are sufficiently enriched in gold to account for the gold content of the sulfides by simple leaching and to determine whethe...

Helium isotopic composition of hydrothermal fluids from the Manus back-arc Basin, Papua New Guinea

We present isotopic analysis of helium in hydrothermal fluids from the Manus back-arc basin, collected during the French-Japanese Manusflux and Manaute cruises in 1995 and 2000, respectively. The helium isotope composition of the fluids is comparable to that measured elsewhere in similar subduction environments, with 3He/4He values (7.4 to 7.9 Ra) slightly lower than typical MORB values, except...

Population structure of Bathymodiolus manusensis, a deep-sea hydrothermal vent-dependent mussel from Manus Basin, Papua New Guinea

Deep-sea hydrothermal vents in the western Pacific are increasingly being assessed for their potential mineral wealth. To anticipate the potential impacts on biodiversity and connectivity among populations at these vents, environmental baselines need to be established. Bathymodiolus manusensis is a deep-sea mussel found in close association with hydrothermal vents in Manus Basin, Papua New Guin...

A new species of sea anemone (Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Actiniaria) from Manus Basin hydrothermal vents, South-western Pacific

During the BIOACCESS Japanese cruises (1996 & 1998), active hydrothermalism and associated vent fauna were studied on the South-eastern Rift of Manus Basin (South-western Pacific). In the PACMANUS vent field, a conspicuous vent fauna was sampled, including an actinostolid sea anemone (Actiniaria) belonging to an undescribed genus and species. Pacmanactis hashimotoi gen. et spec. nov. is here de...

Tectonic, Magmatic, Hydrothermal and Biological Segmentation of Mid-Ocean Ridges