Where is the Von Damm Vent Field located?

The Von Damm Vent Field is a hydrothermal area situated south of Grand Cayman in the Caribbean Sea on the Mid-Cayman Rise. Lying approximately 2,300 meters below sea level, it sits atop an ocean core complex that exposes ultramafic rocks to seawater. The site was named in commemoration of the American marine geochemist Karen Von Damm.

What we know

• The Von Damm Hydrothermal Field is located just south of Grand Cayman on the Mid-Cayman Rise in the Cayman Trough. [1, 2]
• The vent field sits at a depth of approximately 2,300 metres below sea level in the Bathyal zone. [2]
• The site is situated atop an ocean core complex associated with the Mid-Cayman spreading center, exposing ultramafic rocks to seawater. [2]
• The hydrothermal plume was detected in 2010 and visually confirmed later that same year. [2]

Still open

• Sources note that Von Damm is considered by some to be a new class of hydrothermal system distinct from black smoker and alkaline systems, though its broader frequency remains an open question.

Where to go next

• whoWho was Karen Von Damm?
• a case in pointWhat is the Beebe Hydrothermal Vent Field?
• what caused itHow does the Mid-Cayman Rise spreading center function?
• the bigger pictureWhat are the characteristics of the bathyal zone?
• how it workedHow do hydrothermal vent geochemical reactions work?
• an unexpected connectionHow does an ocean core complex create unique vent chemistry?The location of the vent field atop an ocean core complex exposes ultramafic rocks directly to seawater, creating geochemical reactions that differ from typical black smokers.

Sources

• [1]Von Damm Vent Field (Wikidata Q98078927) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Von Damm Vent Field · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Beebe Hydrothermal Vent Field · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Karen Von Damm · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Mid-Cayman Rise · CC BY-SA 4.0