| Axial Seamount Hydrothermal Emissions Study (ASHES) Vent Field | |
|---|---|
| A series of hydrothermal vents atop Axial Seamount. | |
Location within Earth | |
| Location | Juan de Fuca Ridge |
| Coordinates | 45°55′35.76″N 129°58′46.2″W / 45.9266000°N 129.979500°W / 45.9266000; -129.979500 |
| Area | 2,826 square metres (30,420 ft2) |
| Min. elevation | 1,550 metres (5,090 ft) |
The Axial Seamount Hydrothermal Emissions Study or ASHES vent field is a basalt-hosted hydrothermal vent field located on the side of Axial Seamount's caldera at approximately 1,550 metres (5,090 ft) deep.1 The site is distinct from other hydrothermal ecosystems as a long-term study site of the Ocean Observatories Initiative's Regional Cable Array, one of the few hydrothermal systems with real-time data.2
Protection
Human activity at ASHES is almost entirely scientific, with most impact coming from research expeditions, observatory maintenance, and ROV operations.3
As with Axial Seamount, ASHES is located 300 miles (480 km) off the coast of Oregon and as such is classified as a location in the high seas and not a marine protected area.4
References
References
- Butterfield, David A.; Massoth, Gary J.; McDuff, Russell E.; Lupton, John E.; Lilley, Marvin D. (1990). "Geochemistry of hydrothermal fluids from Axial Seamount hydrothermal emissions study vent field, Juan de Fuca Ridge: Subseafloor boiling and subsequent fluid-rock interaction". Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth. 95 (B8): 12895–12921. Bibcode:1990JGR....9512895B. doi:10.1029/JB095iB08p12895.
- "Axial Caldera – OOI Regional Cabled Array". Ocean Observatories Initiative. Retrieved 27 January 2026.
- "ASHES Virtual Site". www.pmel.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2026-01-27.
- "Axial Seamount". www.usgs.gov. U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved 27 January 2026.