Magnetic and gravity surface geometry inverse modeling of the TAG active mound

Seafloor massive sulfide deposits form in remote environments, and the assessment of deposit size and composition through drilling is technically challenging and expensive. To aid the evaluation of the resource potential of seafloor massive sulfide deposits, three-dimensional inverse modeling of geophysical potential field data (magnetic and gravity) collected near the seafloor can be carried out to further enhance geologic models interpolated from sparse drilling. Here, we present inverse modeling results of magnetic and gravity data collected from the active mound at the Trans-Atlantic Geotraverse hydrothermal vent field, located at 26°08′N on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, using autonomous underwater vehicle and submersible surveying. Both minimum-structure and surface geometry inverse modeling methods were utilized. Through deposit-scale magnetic modeling, the outer extent of a chloritized alteration zone within the basalt host rock below the mound was resolved, providing an indication of the angle of the rising hydrothermal fluid and the depth and volume of seawater/hydrothermal mixing zone. The thickness of the massive sulfide mound was determined by modeling the gravity data, enabling the tonnage of the mound to be estimated at 2.17 ± 0.44 Mt through this geophysics-based, noninvasive approach.