News
ZfT
Center for Deep-Sea Research
Construction work for the Center for Deep-Sea Research (ZfT) began in February 2021. Fundamental processes in the deep sea are to be investigated at the ZfT. Organizationally, the ZfT will be located under the umbrella of the Research Faculty MARUM.
Our colleague Volker Diekamp continuously documents the construction progress of the Center for Deep-Sea Research (ZfT) with his camera.
Deep Sea Moments
MARUM's Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) are in use in the oceans worldwide. On their way into the deep sea and at the bottom of the oceans, the researchers discover unique habitats with the help of the robots, encounter their inhabitants and experience very special Deep-Sea Moments again and again on their expeditions.
Cold Seeps in the Arabian Sea
Deep Sea Moments No. 8
At a rate of 3-5 cm per year, the Arabian Plate is drifting northwards in the northern Arabian Sea and pushing itself under the Eurasian Plate. As a result of this plate collision zone, there are numerous cold springs, so-called seeps, on the Pakistani continental margin, which are formed differently depending on water depth and fluid flow. The deepest point of seeps to date is at a water depth of 2,870 m, where methane bubbles emerge from the seabed and isolated bearded worms and chemoautotrophic mussels settle on the seabed.
At a depth of 1,000 m, the seawater is quite low in oxygen, so that larger organisms are absent, but white and reddish bacterial mats and smaller bristle worms colonize the methane seeps. At a water depth of 1,650 m, on the other hand, there are large populations of mussels, which can absorb higher methane levels from the surrounding water via bacteria in their gills. They live in symbiosis with the methane-digesting bacteria and serve as food for large populations of crabs.