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FRINATEK-Fri prosj.st. mat.,naturv.,tek

Hydrothermal Production of Organic molecules: carbon transformation and Decomposition in ocean crust fluids

Alternative title: Hydrotermisk produksjon av organiske molekyler: transformasjon og nedbrytning av karbonformer i havskorps varme kilder

Awarded: NOK 10.2 mill.

The global mid-ocean ridge is dotted with deep-sea hot springs fueling a 'deep biosphere' of ancient microorganisms, likely the first to emerge on Earth. The ocean is thus considered the 'cradle of life', yet the nexus of this thinking - the potential for dissolved organic molecules to spontaneously form in these hot spring fluids - is a process we do not fully understand. We now, through the HyPOD experimental and field program, have evidence of diverse organic molecules forming in hot, reducing fluids emanating from these aquifers, suggesting they form by multiple pathways: these include non-biological carbon dioxide reduction (generating abiotic molecules from which life can emerge), as well as thermal breakdown of crustal microbial carbon, sedimentary organic matter and marine dissolved organic matter (DOM). These compounds now comprise a diverse 'menu' for life at the seafloor Both abiotic synthesis of origin-of-life relevant molecules, and pyrolysis of pre-existing organic matter are poorly studied phenomena at conditions of deep-sea hot springs, leaving huge gaps in our understanding of carbon transformation in ocean crust fluids. Understanding hydrothermal production of the small organic molecules now detectable is critical for assessing energy sources for biotech-relevant microbes, and a potential hydrothermal origin of life on Earth and other ocean worlds in our Solar System (e.g. Enceladus). HyPOD has demonstrated the generation of diverse hydrocarbons, sulfur-, nitrogen- and oxygen-rich organic molecules from multiple carbon sources in hot springs, using state-of-the-art high temperature-pressure experiments, frontier methods and theoretical models to illuminate the diversity, differences & isotope signatures of organic products formed. The HyPOD team has completed analyzing a large portfolio of seafloor hydrothermal fluids sampled either before or during the project from diverse Arctic, Mid-Atlantic and Caribbean mid-ocean ridge hydrothermal systems. We have measured both carboxylic acids as well as methanol - a key origin-of-life relevant compound - in our organic analyses of real hot spring fluids, and our results are critical for our understanding of carbon cycling in volcanic ocean crust. We have completed experiments to reveal the high-temperature fate of microbial deep biosphere and sedimentary carbon, and soon will complete experiments on the formation of prebiotic hydrothermal organic ingredients for the origin of life. Experiments have already been conducted on Bacteria, Archaea, as well as Arctic and P acific marine sediments, showing that they generate a wide diversity of molecules, and a 'menu' that changes markedly with temperature. All of these results have been presented at international conference in late 2022 and mid 2023, and publications will be submitted in 2024. Already published results have indicated that timescales of hydrothermal fluid circulation are vitally important for organic molecule stability, and first glimpses at key fluids sampled as part of this project and project HACON.

The global mid-ocean ridge is dotted with deep-sea hot springs fueling a 'deep biosphere' of ancient microorganisms, likely the first to emerge on Earth. The ocean is thus considered the 'cradle of life', yet the nexus of this thinking - the potential for dissolved organic molecules to spontaneously form in these hot spring fluids - is a process we do not fully understand. Emerging evidence of diverse organic molecules in hot, reducing fluids emanating from these aquifers suggests they form by multiple pathways, including non-biological CO2 reduction (generating abiotic molecules from which life can emerge), and thermal breakdown of crustal microbial carbon or dissolved organic matter (DOM) - perhaps signifying life's presence beneath the seafloor. Both abiotic synthesis of origin-of-life relevant molecules, and pyrolysis of pre-existing organic matter are poorly studied phenomena at conditions of deep-sea hot springs, leaving huge gaps in our understanding of carbon transformation in ocean crust fluids. Understanding hydrothermal production of the small organic molecules now detectable is critical for assessing energy sources for biotech-relevant microbes, and a potential hydrothermal origin of life on Earth and other ocean worlds in our Solar System (e.g. Enceladus). HyPOD will rigorously examine generation of diverse hydrocarbons, sulfur-, nitrogen- and oxygen-rich organic molecules from multiple carbon sources (CO2, microbial carbon, DOM, sedimentary kerogen) in hot springs, using state-of-the-art high temperature-pressure experiments and theoretical models to illuminate the diversity, differences & isotope signatures of organic products formed. Validating these findings through organic analyses from real hot spring fluids as part of HyPOD will transform our understanding of carbon cycling in volcanic ocean crust, revealing the high-temperature fate of microbial deep biosphere carbon, and the prebiotic hydrothermal organic ingredients for the origin of life.

Publications from Cristin

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FRINATEK-Fri prosj.st. mat.,naturv.,tek