Hydrothermal tomography

Determining Mid-Ocean Ridge Vent Temperature

=Problem Definition=

Mid-Ocean spreading ridges have hydro-thermal vents which produce two types of heated plumes. The first is a dark plume which cannot be effectively measured by our method due to an abundance of material in the plume. The second type which we will be analyzing is a clear plume which produces heated water vents with little to no material in the plume and can be measured using acoustic vibration across a 1X1 meter distance.

Background
Little is able to measured about mid-ocean ridge vents. The sub-surface temperature changes can effect a variety of things at depth and have not been able to be effectively measured yet. This project will give an idea of sub-surface conditions through measuring the temperature at mid-ocean spreading ridge vents.

As the mid-ocean ridge vent spreads heated water pockets find ways to the surface and generate an abundance of heat for a variety of life to exist. As the sub-surface processes change over time conditions for life change. This temperature and sub-surface process relationship is dynamic and what this project intends to study.

This project has been worked on in the past by Brady Hislop and he is now the team leader for the U of I senior capstone project. The frame that had been working on is show below.



This frame has been used along with 3D printed parts to align and test transducers for send/receive (TX/RX) functionality. With enough RX/TX transducers an accurate mapping of the the temperature of the mid-ocean spreading ridge thermal vents.

Deliverables
The goal is to deliver a working proof of concept of a structure that is capable of generating a sub-surface pulse and receiving it on the opposing side of an array. This will result in a measurable time difference between the signal being generated and the signal received. Using this timestamp the temperature of the mid-ocean ridge vent will be able to be recorded over time.

For the proof of concept phase this will not be submerged more than several meters in a controlled environment. Using a heated water pumping source and a water tank measurements will be taken to determine if the delivered system is able to preform as expected.

Specifications
Using a ~1 m2 area extruded aluminum frame as a rigid base a number of sending/receiving immersion transducers will be placed around the frame in order to gather temperature data via timestamps of sending/receiving. The project will need to capture data and store it rapidly (1Hz) in a 2D plane. A total of 20-25 immersion traducers will be fired in groups of 3-5 and that data will be logged for later analysis.

=Design Considerations=

Given that this is a proof of concept it will be not be required to be submerged at great depth. The goal will be to get to a working prototype with data capture and refinement of function at the end of spring 2019 semester. A certain amount of flex will likely occur at depth and pressure and understanding how to refine that will be incorporated in later iterations of this project.

=Project Learning=

=Final Design=

=Validation=

=Team Members=

=Additional Documentation=

Project Schedule



Meeting Minutes

Presentations



Client Interview