Argentino Claudio, Mattingsdal Rune, Eidvin Tor, Ohm Sverre Ekrene, Panieri Giuliana
Department of Geosciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, 9037, Tromsø, Norway.
Norwegian Offshore Directorate, 9406, Harstad, Norway.
Sci Rep. 2025 Apr 30;15(1):15161. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-99578-5.
Global estimates on the number of submarine mud volcanoes are highly uncertain, as well as their role in the deep-sea biosphere and methane budgets. Here, we report the discovery of ten Arctic mud volcanoes in the Barents Sea (440-480 m depth), where only two had been previously known. The new mud volcanoes form flat-topped mounds on the seafloor and are connected to seismic chimneys rooted within the infilling of a buried Pleistocene mega-slide scar. We suggest informally naming the area the Polaris Mud Volcano Complex. These structures have been active at least since the Late Weichselian deglaciation (< 20 ka), displaying evidence of ongoing methane-rich mud expulsion, i.e. mud pools and flows and chemosynthetic fauna. Finally, we propose a conceptual model for their formation which can be exported to other similar settings. Given the widespread occurrence of mega-slides and associated deposits along (paleo)glaciated continental margins, our findings call for a re-evaluation of mud volcanism potential in such regions.
全球对海底泥火山数量的估计极不确定，其在深海生物圈和甲烷收支中的作用也不明确。在此，我们报告在巴伦支海（深度440 - 480米）发现了10座北极泥火山，此前该区域仅已知两座。这些新的泥火山在海底形成平顶丘，与扎根于掩埋的更新世巨型滑坡疤痕填充物中的地震烟囱相连。我们建议将该区域非正式命名为北极星泥火山复合体。这些构造至少自末次魏克塞尔冰期消退（< 20 ka）以来一直活跃，有富含甲烷的泥浆排出的证据，即泥池、泥流和化能合成动物群。最后，我们提出了一个其形成的概念模型，该模型可应用于其他类似环境。鉴于（古）冰川作用的大陆边缘广泛存在巨型滑坡及相关沉积物，我们的发现呼吁重新评估此类区域的泥火山活动潜力。
