Gondou Hydrothermal Field, Daisan-Kume Knoll, Kumejima, Shimajiri District, Okinawa Prefecture, Japani

Regional Level Types
Gondou Hydrothermal Field	Group of Hydrothermal Vents
Daisan-Kume Knoll	Hydrothermal Vent
Kumejima	Town
Shimajiri District	District
Okinawa Prefecture	Prefecture
Japan	Country

Bathymetry identified 264 spires, 173 large mounds and 268 small mounds within a depression that is up to 1600 m wide and up to 60 m deep, at water depths between 1330 and 1470 m. Hydrothermal venting is strongly inferred from the observation of plumes in sidescan sonar imagery and positive temperature anomalies over the spires and mounds. This field, named the Gondou Field, has a giant mound G1 with a diameter of 280 m and a height of 80 m. Mound G1 has distinctive summit ridges composed of multiple spires where acoustic plumes with temperature anomalies up to 1.12°C are observed, indicative of high-temperature venting. Other than mound G1, a number of active large mounds more than 30 m wide and spires over 10–22 m tall are common and they concentrate in the central and southern areas of the field, suggesting that these areas are the center of present hydrothermal activity.

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References