A Deep Sea Hydrothermal Vent Bio-Sampler For Large Volume In-Situ Filtration Of Hydrothermal Vent Fluids

The Hydrothermal Vent BioSampler (HVB) currently being developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory is designed to collect large-volume hydrothermal vent samples, operating with fluid temperatures reaching 400 degrees C and at vent depths of up to 6,500 metres. The primary goal of the project is to collect 'pristine' samples untainted by the surrounding waters. Analysis of the collected samples can reveal the existence of thermophillic organisms within the vent fluid, extending the upper limits of life with respect to thermo-tolerance. Any biology found at such environments can contribute to research in astrobiology, while the technology developed for the system can contribute to bio-containment techniques useful for Arctic and planetary exploration. The HVB performs in-situ filtering of hydrothermal vent fluids to concentrate a large sample volume to a smaller volume more suitable for transport. The HVB system is currently in the development phase. This paper provides a physical description of the current system, as well as a summary of the preliminary tests conducted in 2005 and 2006: pressure chamber tests and a two dive operations at a hydrothermal vent off the northern coast of Iceland.