In this study, an underwater image enhancement method based on local contrast correction (LCC) and multi-scale fusion is proposed to resolve low contrast and color distortion of underwater images. First, the original image is compensated using the red channel, and the compensated image is processed with a white balance. Second, LCC and image sharpening are carried out to generate two different image versions. Finally, the local contrast corrected images are fused with sharpened images by the multi-scale fusion method. The results show that the proposed method can be applied to water degradation images in different environments without resorting to an image formation model. It can effectively solve color distortion, low contrast, and unobvious details of underwater images.

Crustal accretion at mid-ocean ridges governs the creation and evolution of the oceanic lithosphere. Generally accepted models^1,2,3,4 of passive mantle upwelling and melting predict notably decreased crustal thickness at a spreading rate of less than 20 mm year⁻¹. We conducted the first, to our knowledge, high-resolution ocean-bottom seismometer (OBS) experiment at the Gakkel Ridge in the Arctic Ocean and imaged the crustal structure of the slowest-spreading ridge on the Earth. Unexpectedly, we find that crustal thickness ranges between 3.3 km and 8.9 km along the ridge axis and it increased from about 4.5 km to about 7.5 km over the past 5 Myr in an across-axis profile. The highly variable crustal thickness and relatively large average value does not align with the prediction of passive mantle upwelling models. Instead, it can be explained by a model of buoyant active mantle flow driven by thermal and compositional density changes owing to melt extraction. The influence of active versus passive upwelling is predicted to increase with decreasing spreading rate. The process of active mantle upwelling is anticipated to be primarily influenced by mantle temperature and composition. This implies that the observed variability in crustal accretion, which includes notably varied crustal thickness, is probably an inherent characteristic of ultraslow-spreading ridges.

A novel mesophilic, hydrogen-, and sulfur-oxidizing bacterium, designated strain ST-419^T, was isolated from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent plume on the Carlsberg Ridge of the Northwestern Indian Ocean. The isolate was a Gram-staining-negative, non-motile and coccoid to oval-shaped bacterium. Growth was observed at 4–50 °C (optimum 37 °C), pH 5.0–8.6 (optimum pH 6.0) and 1.0–5.0 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum 3.0 %). ST-419^T could grow chemlithoautotrophically with molecular hydrogen, sulfide, elemental sulfur and thiosulfate as energy sources. Molecular oxygen, nitrate and elemental sulfur could be used as electron acceptors. The predominant fatty acids were C_16 : 1ω7c, C_18 : 1ω7c and C_16 : 0. The major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylglycerol. The respiratory quinone was menaquinone MK-6 and the G+C content of the genomic DNA was 42.4 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that ST-419^T represented a member of genus Sulfurovum and was most closely related to Sulfurovum riftiae 1812E^T, with 97.6 % sequence similarity. The average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA–DNA hybridization (dDDH) values between ST-419^T and S. riftiae 1812E^T were 74.6 and 19.6 %, respectively. The combined genotypic and phenotypic data indicate that ST-419^T represents a novel species within the genus Sulfurovum , for which the name Sulfurovum indicum sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is ST-419^T (=MCCC 1A17954^T=KCTC 25164^T).

The ultramafic-hosted Kairei vent field is located at 25°19′ S, 70°02′ E, towards the Northern end of segment 1 of the Central Indian Ridge (CIR-S1) at a water depth of ~2450 m. This study aims to investigate the distribution of trace elements among sulfide minerals of differing textures and to examine the possible factors controlling the trace element distribution in those minerals using LA-ICP-MS spot and line scan analyses. Our results show that there are distinct systematic differences in trace element distributions throughout the different minerals, as follows: (1) pyrite is divided into three types at Kairei, including early-stage euhedral pyrite (py-I), sub-euhedral pyrite (py-II), and colloform pyrite (py-III). Pyrite is generally enriched with Mo, Au, As, Tl, Mn, and U. Pyrite-I has high contents of Se, Te, Bi, and Ni when compared to the other types; py-II is enriched in Au relative to py-I and py-III, but poor in Ni; py-III is enriched in Mo, Pb, and U but is poor in Se, Te, Bi, and Au relative to py-I and py-II. Variations in the concentrations of Se, Te, and Bi in pyrite are most likely governed by the strong temperature gradient. There is generally a lower concentration of nickel than Co in pyrite, indicating that our samples precipitated at high temperatures, whereas the extreme Co enrichment is likely from a magmatic heat source combined with an influence of serpentinization reactions. (2) Chalcopyrite is characterized by high concentrations of Co, Se, and Te. The abundance of Se and Te in chalcopyrite over the other minerals is interpreted to have been caused by the high solubilities of Se and Te in the chalcopyrite lattice at high temperatures. The concentrations of Sb, As, and Au are relatively low in chalcopyrite from the Kairei vent field. (3) Sphalerite from Zn-rich chimneys is characterized by high concentrations of Sn, Co, Ga, Ge, Ag, Pb, Sb, As, and Cd, but is depleted in Se, Te, Bi, Mo, Au, Ni, Tl, Mn, Ba, V, and U in comparison with the other minerals. The high concentrations of Cd and Co are likely caused by the substitution of Cd²⁺ and Co²⁺ for Zn²⁺ in sphalerite. A high concentration of Pb accompanied by a high Ag concentration in sphalerite indicates that Ag occurs as Pb–Ag sulfosalts. Gold is generally low in sphalerite and strongly correlates with Pb, suggesting its presence in microinclusions of galena. The strong correlation of As with Ge in sphalerite from Kairei suggests that they might precipitate at medium temperatures and under moderately reduced conditions. (4) Bornite–digenite has very low concentrations of most trace elements, except for Co, Se, and Bi. Serpentinization in ultramafic-hosted hydrothermal systems might play an important role in Au enrichment in pyrite with low As contents. Compared to felsic-hosted seafloor massive sulfide deposits, sulfide minerals from ultramafic-hosted deposits show higher concentrations of Se and Te, but lower As, Sb, and Au concentrations, the latter often attributed to the contribution of magmatic volatiles. As with typical ultramafic-hosted seafloor massive sulfide deposits, Se enrichment in chalcopyrite from Kairei indicates that the primary factor that controls the Se enrichment is temperature-controlled mobility in vent fluids.

In this paper, we conduct a comparative study on the mineralogy and geochemistry of metalliferous sediment collected near the active hydrothermal site (Wocan-1) and inactive hydrothermal site (Wocan-2) from Wocan Hydrothermal Field, on the Carlsberg Ridge (CR), northwest Indian Ocean. We aim to understand the spatial variations in the primary and post-depositional conditions and the intensity of hydrothermal circulations in the Wocan hydrothermal systems. Sediment samples were collected from six stations which includes TVG-07, TVG-08 (Wocan-1), TVG-05, TVG-10 (Wocan-2), TVG-12 and TVG-13 (ridge flanks). The mineralogical investigations show that sediment samples from Wocan-1 and Wocan-2 are composed of chalcopyrite, pyrite, sphalerite, barite, gypsum, amorphous silica, altered volcanic glass, Fe-oxides, and hydroxides. The ridge flank sediments are dominated by biogenic calcite and foraminifera assemblages. The bulk sediment samples of Wocan-1 have an elevated Fe/Mn ratio (up to ~1545), with lower U contents (<7.4 ppm) and U/Fe ratio (<~1.8 × 10⁻⁵). The sulfide separates (chalcopyrite, pyrite, and sphalerite) are enriched in Se, Co, As, Sb, and Pb. The calculated sphalerite precipitation temperature (Sph.PT) yields ~278 °C. The sulfur isotope (δ³⁴S) analysis returned a light value of 3.0–3.6‰. The bulk sediment samples of Wocan-2 have a lower Fe/Mn ratio (<~523), with high U contents (up to 19.6 ppm) and U/Fe ratio (up to ~6.2 × 10⁻⁵). The sulfide separates are enriched in Zn, Cu, Tl, and Sn. The calculated Sph.PT is ~233 °C. The δ³⁴S returned significant values of 4.1–4.3‰ and 6.4–8.7‰ in stations TVG-10 and TVG-05, respectively. The geochemical signatures (e.g., Fe/Mn and U/Fe ratio, mineral chemistry of sulfides separates, and S-isotopes and Sph.PT) suggest that sediment samples from Wocan-1 are located near intermediate–high temperature hydrothermal discharge environments. Additionally, relatively low δ³⁴S values exhibit a lower proportion (less than 20%) of seawater-derived components. The geochemical signatures suggest that sediment samples from Wocan-2 has undergone moderate–extensive oxidation and secondary alterations by seawater in a low–intermediate temperature hydrothermal environments. Additionally, the significant δ³⁴S values of station TVG-05 exhibit a higher estimated proportion (up to 41%) of seawater-derived components. Our results showed pervasive hydrothermal contributions into station TVG-08 relative to TVG-07, it further showed the increased process of seafloor weathering at TVG-05 relative to TVG-10.