Formation of breccia pipes associated with a hydrogen-rich hydrothermal system on the east Caroline plate in the West Pacific.

A large hydrothermal field at depths >4300 meters was found on the east Caroline plate in the western Pacific Ocean. Here, we show that large hydrothermal pipes with steep walls and breccia-dominated bottoms suggest explosions of billion metric tons of TNT (trinitrotoluene) equivalent. More than 800 short-duration seismic events were detected within 28 days along a 150-kilometer profile, indicating widespread ongoing explosive gas release.

Spatial-temporal variations of kelp I contents in coastal waters of China before and after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident.

Radioactive I isotope, as one of the main products of the nuclear fission process, can be applied to track radioactive substances in the environment. So far, limited studies have investigated the spatial-temporal distribution of I in marine ecosystems including the I isotope released via nuclear activities. This study reports the I concentrations of kelps collected from the shallow coastal Yellow Sea and East China Sea from 2009 to 2021.