C-DEBI Newsletter – July 15, 2020
C-DEBI Newsletter – July 15, 2020
This newsletter is also accessible via our website (https://www.darkenergybiosphere.org) .
Message from the Director:
Due to the lingering challenges surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, we have decided to postpone this fall’s C-DEBI annual meeting (https://www.darkenergybiosphere.org/outputs-resources/meetings-and-workshops/c-debi-annual-meetings/) to 2021. However, to maintain a connection with members of the C-DEBI community to present active research projects and support integrated discussions, we are considering a virtual meeting in November and will invite your ideas/suggestions/interest in the coming weeks.
Cheers and be safe,
Jan Amend
C-DEBI Director
Publications
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Earth and Planetary Science Letters
Mantle degassing of primordial helium through submarine ridge flank basaltic basement (http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2020.116386) – NEW!
Huei-Ting Lin*, Marvin D. Lilley, J. E. Lupton, Michael S. Rappé
*C-DEBI Contribution 535
The degassing of primordial gases from Earth’s interior is evidenced by the high ^3He/^4He ratios in submarine hydrothermal plumes, vent fluids, and rock samples with mantle origin from active hydrothermal systems in mid-ocean ridges (MOR) and subduction zone volcanism. As the largest aquifer on Earth, the uppermost 40-500 m of permeable submarine ridge flank basement (1-65 million-years-old, Myr) holds ∼2% of the ocean volume and accounts for 70% of the seafloor hydrothermal heat flux. However, the degassing of primordial gases through the oceanic ridge flank crust has not yet been directly quantified. Here, we show that high integrity hydrothermal (65 °C) fluids from the sediment-buried 3.5 Myr basaltic crust from the eastern flank of the Juan de Fuca Ridge (JdFR) contain elevated ^3He. The ^3He/^4He for the basaltic fluid is 4.5 ± 0.1 R[a] (relative to the air ratio), which is greatly elevated when compared to deep seawater (1.05 R[a]), but is half of that observed for high-temperature
vent fluids (∼8 R[a]) emitting from MOR. Only a small fraction of the ^3He in ridge flank fluids is derived from the entrainment of high-temperature ridge-axis fluids and is better explained by degassing of the mantle through the mantle-crust boundary. The lower than MOR ^3He/^4He ratios indicate that radiogenic ^4He originates from aged uranium and thorium decay within the mantle as well as from the ridge-flank basalts. The ^3He outgassing through warm ridge flanks (4.9 to 36 mol/yr) accounts for 0.7-6% of the global ^3He outgassing, exceeded only by degassing through mid-ocean ridges and subduction volcanism. The presence of mantle ^3He suggests that the abiogenic methane present in the ridge flank fluids might be mantle-derived. Based on the ^3He outgassing flux, a possibly mantle-derived abiotic methane production rate at the ridge flank is estimated to be 0.3-35 x 10^8 mol/yr.
Have an upcoming manuscript about the deep subseafloor biosphere and want to increase your press coverage? NSF’s Office of Legislative and Public Affairs is looking to coordinate press releases between your home institution and the NSF to coincide with the date of publication. Please contact us as soon as your publication is accepted! (mailto:janicak@usc.edu)
Meetings & Activities
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NoW: Comment on and endorse a Planetary Science Decadal Survey White Paper proposing an Ocean Worlds Exploration Program (https://oceanworlds.space/whitepaper/) – (http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2020.116386) — NEW!
As some of you may have noticed (e.g. at the Ocean Sciences meeting in San Diego in February) a small group of us have been working at the interface between Ocean Sciences and Planetary Sciences of late, beginning to think about what it would take to make sure that the expertise that we can bring from study of Earth’s Oceans can be harnessed to maximize returns from future Space Missions to explore the oceans recently revealed to be present in some abundance, right here in our own solar system. Since the start of the year, NASA has established a research coordination network called the Network for Ocean Worlds which you can learn more about (and sign up to become affiliated with) at oceanworlds.space (https://oceanworlds.space/) . I am writing now because starting later this Summer is when NASA, working in concert with the National Academies, undertakes a decadal planning process for its priorities in Planetary Science and Astrobiology. To that end, our Network has developed a new White
Paper advocating for a national program of Ocean Worlds Exploration, starting in the coming decade, precisely because we reason that such research provides the greatest opportunity to find life beyond Earth within the lifetime of anyone reading this email. The vision includes partnership between NASA and the UNOLS agencies. If you think this sounds of interest please a) download the paper (7 pages / 20yr vision / implicit budget of >$10Bn); b) add any suggestions for improvement to the White Paper via the comment box; and c) sign up to endorse what we are proposing if you would like to see NASA prioritize Ocean Worlds studies. The latter is important: you will find that a number of your oceanographic colleagues’ names already appear on the endorsement page but the more the better to show the National Academy & NASA that this is something that oceanographers are interested in contributing to. Lastly, even if your priorities remain Earth-bound, note that this initiative would inevitably
result in a new branch of NASA investing in new ocean technologies; a vote for NASA to be interested in Ocean Worlds doesn’t mean that you have to believe study of Earth’s Oceans is not vitally important to society. – NOW Co-Leads: Alison Murray (Desert Research Institute), Kevin Arrigo (Stanford), Alyssa Rhoden (Southwest Research Institute), Chris German (WHOI).
-IODP-USSSP: Ocean Discovery Lecture Series – Nominate a Lecturer (https://usoceandiscovery.org/lecture-series/) –
Please submit nominations by the deadline of July 22, 2020.
-AGU: 2020 Fall Meeting Deep Biosphere-related Sessions (https://www.darkenergybiosphere.org/meetings-and-activities/2020-fall-meeting-call-for-abstracts/) –
Attending (virtually or in person) the AGU Fall Meeting, December 7-11, 2020? Consider submitting your abstracts (https://www.agu.org/Fall-Meeting/2020/Present/Abstracts) (due July 29, 2020) to these deep biosphere-related Session Proposals.
-ISSM 2020: Meeting postponed to November 1-6, call for poster abstracts extended (https://www.issm2020.com/) –
Submitting poster abstracts (oral presentation abstract submissions are now closed) has an extended deadline of July 30, 2020.
Ongoing Activities:
* C-DEBI: Rolling call for Community Workshop support (http://www.darkenergybiosphere.org/research-activities/research-support/workshops/)
* C-DEBI: Protocols.io Group Page (https://www.protocols.io/groups/center-for-dark-energy-biosphere-investigations)
* C-DEBI: Subseafloor Cultures Database (http://www.darkenergybiosphere.org/outputs-resources/subseafloor-cultures-database/)
* C-DEBI: Join us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/c-debi-center-for-dark-energy-biosphere-investigations/)
Proposal Calls
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-UNOLS: 2020 Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) Cruise Opportunities (https://www.unols.org/unols-cruise-opportunity-program) –
The application deadline for the Fall 2020 Deployment Operations cruises is is August 3, 2020.
-NSF: Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) (https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2020/nsf20525/nsf20525.htm?WT.mc_id=USNSF_25&WT.mc_ev=click) –
Full proposal deadline extended to August 11, 2020.
-NSF: Biological Oceanography (https://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=11696&WT.mc_id=USNSF_46&WT.mc_ev=click) –
Full proposal target dates: August 17, 2020 and February 15, 2021.
-NSF: Chemical Oceanography (https://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=11698&WT.mc_id=USNSF_46&WT.mc_ev=click) –
Full proposal target date: August 17, 2020 and February 15, 2021.
-NSF: Physical Oceanography (https://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=12729&WT.mc_id=USNSF_46&WT.mc_ev=click) –
Full proposal target date: August 17, 2020 and February 15, 2021.
-NSF: Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Pathways into the Earth, Ocean, Polar and Atmospheric & Geospace Sciences (IUSE:GEOPAths) (https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2020/nsf20516/nsf20516.htm?WT.mc_id=USNSF_25&WT.mc_ev=click) –
Letter of Intent Due Date: November 17, 2020.
-NSF: Research Traineeship (NRT) Program (https://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=505015&WT.mc_id=USNSF_46&WT.mc_ev=click) –
Full Proposal Deadline Date: February 6, 2021.
-NSF: COVID-19 Impacts (https://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/coronavirus/) –
Links: NSF Coronavirus webpage (https://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/coronavirus/) , NSF Implementation of OMB Memorandum M-20-17 (https://www.nsf.gov/bfa/dias/policy/covid19/covid19_nsfombimplementation.pdf) , COVID-19 Information for the Geosciences Research Community (https://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=300299&org=GEO) .
-NSF OCE: Upcoming proposals to OCE, shiptime and data proposals (https://www.darkenergybiosphere.org/proposal-call/upcoming-proposals-to-oce-shiptime-and-data-proposals/) –
Rolling Calls:
* C-DEBI: Rolling call for Research Exchange proposals (http://www.darkenergybiosphere.org/research-activities/research-support/exchange/)
* IODP-USSSP: Proposals for Pre-Drilling Activities (http://usoceandiscovery.org/pre-drilling-activities/)
* NSF: Antarctic Research Program Solicitation (https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2020/nsf20568/nsf20568.htm?WT.mc_id=USNSF_25&WT.mc_ev=click)
* NSF: Arctic Sciences Program Solicitation (http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2016/nsf16595/nsf16595.htm?WT.mc_id=USNSF_25&WT.mc_ev=click)
* NSF: DCL: Collaborative Proposals under NSF and US-Israel Binational Science Foundation (BSF) Collaborative Research Opportunities (https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2020/nsf20094/nsf20094.jsp?WT.mc_id=USNSF_25&WT.mc_ev=click)
* NSF: Dear Colleague Letter: Poorly Sampled and Unknown Taxa (PurSUiT) (https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2020/nsf20059/nsf20059.jsp?WT.mc_id=USNSF_25&WT.mc_ev=click)
* NSF: Division of Environmental Biology (core programs) (DEB) (https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2020/nsf20502/nsf20502.htm)
* NSF: Enabling Discovery through GEnomic Tools (EDGE) (https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2020/nsf20532/nsf20532.htm?WT.mc_id=USNSF_25&WT.mc_ev=click)
* NSF: Infrastructure Innovation for Biological Research (IIBR) (https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2018/nsf18595/nsf18595.htm)
* NSF: Instrument Capacity for Biological Research (ICBR) (https://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=505542&WT.mc_id=USNSF_25&WT.mc_ev=click)
* NSF: Non-Academic Research Internships for Graduate Students (INTERN) Supplemental Funding Opportunity (https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2018/nsf18102/nsf18102.jsp?WT.mc_id=USNSF_179)
* NSF: Research Assistantships for High School Students (RAHSS): Funding to Broaden Participation in the Biological Sciences (https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2018/nsf18088/nsf18088.jsp?WT.mc_id=USNSF_25&WT.mc_ev=click)
* NSF: Research Experience for Teachers (RET): Funding Opportunity in the Biological Sciences (https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2018/nsf18089/nsf18089.jsp?WT.mc_id=USNSF_25&WT.mc_ev=click)
* NSF: Tribal Colleges and Universities Program (TCUP) (https://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5483&WT.mc_id=USNSF_46&WT.mc_ev=click)
* Queen Mary U of London: PhD Project: Microbial survival in the energy-limited deep biosphere (https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/microbial-survival-in-the-energy-limited-deep-biosphere/?p111036)
* Queen Mary U of London: PhD Project: Microbial life and activity on glaciers and in Arctic soils (https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/microbial-life-and-activity-on-glaciers-and-in-arctic-soils/?p111037)
* UNOLS: Cruise Opportunity Program (https://www.unols.org/unols-cruise-opportunity-program)
Employment
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-NC State U: Assistant Professor – Chemical Oceanography (https://jobs.ncsu.edu/postings/133726) –
Review of applications will begin on October 12, 2020 and the position will remain open until filled.
-MSU: Postdoctoral Researcher position on Asgard archaea ecophysiology (http://nebula.wsimg.com/cd7d3e4d7def0eed4144485bcaf634ff?AccessKeyId=48B9AC89493A56C67DF6&disposition=0&alloworigin=1) –
Don’t forget to email me with any items you’d like to share in future newsletters! We will also broadcast this information on our social media outlets, Twitter and Facebook. You are what makes our deep biosphere community!
Best,
Matt
—
Matthew Janicak
Data Manager
Center for Dark Energy Biosphere Investigations (C-DEBI)
University of Southern California
janicak@usc.edu (mailto:janicak@usc.edu)
3616 Trousdale Pkwy, AHF 209, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0371
Phone: 708-691-9563, Fax: 213-740-2437
Exploring life beneath the seafloor and making transformative discoveries that advance science, benefit society, and inspire people of all ages and origins.