资源环境科技发展态势分析平台

Transport and deposition behavior of mineral particles driven by hydrothermal plumes along mid‐ocean ridges is one of the least understood processes in geoscience. We reveal the mechanism and three typical transport patterns of particles emitted from submarine vents and subsequently laden by plumes in the stratified deep ocean with or without crossflows, i.e., suspension, near‐vent deposition, and long‐distance transport, by developing a Lagrangian model coupled with a computational fluid dynamics model and using in‐situ measurements as model inputs. These particle trajectories suggest a general expression that predicts the linear variation of deposition location with the reciprocal of settling velocity, which potentially leads to a power‐law distribution of sediment mass along the radial direction. This hydrodynamic mechanism provides a new perspective on the accumulation of sediments near hydrothermal vents, indicating the critical role of the entrainment of plumes and consequent vortex systems in controlling deposition flux.