Natural CO2 Flow from the Loihi Vent: Impact on Microbial Production and Fate of the CO2

The program for International Collaboration on CO2 Ocean Sequestration was initiated December 1997. Preliminary steps involved surveying a suite of biogeochemical parameters off the coast of Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii. The preliminary survey was conducted twice, in 1999 and 2000, to obtain a thorough data set including measurements of pH, current profiles, CO2 concentrations, microbial activities, and water and sediment chemistries. These data were collected in order to interpret a planned CO2 injection experiment. After these preliminary surveys were completed, local environment regulation forced moving the project to the coast northeast of Bergen, Norway. The preliminary survey along the Norwegian Coast was conducted during 2002. However, Norwegian government revoked a permit, approved by the Norwegian State Pollution Control Authority, for policy reasons regarding the CO2 injection experiment. As a result, the research team decided to monitor the natural CO2 flow off the southern coast of the Big Island. From December 3-13, 2002, scientists from four countries representing the Technical Committee of the International Carbon Dioxide Sequestration Experiment examined the hydrothermal venting at Loihi Seamount (Hawaiian islands, USA). Work focused on tracing the venting gases, the impacts of the vent fluids on marine organisms, and CO2 influence on biogeochemical cycles. The cruise on the R/V Ka'imikai-O-Kanaloa (KOK) included S dives by the PISCES V submarine, 6 at Loihi, and 2 at a nearby site in the lee of the Big Island. Data for this final report is from the last 2 dives on Loihi. Prepared in collaboration with Geo-Centers, Inc., Lanham, MD.