@article {Feng2014,
	title = {{Time integrated variation of sources of fluids and seepage dynamics archived in authigenic carbonates from Gulf of Mexico Gas Hydrate Seafloor Observatory}},
	journal = {Chemical Geology},
	volume = {385},
	year = {2014},
	pages = {129{\textendash}139},
	abstract = {Authigenic carbonate rocks recovered from the Gulf of Mexico Gas Hydrate Seafloor Observatory in Mississippi Canyon block 118 (MC118) at approximately 900 m water depth were studied using mineralogical, bulk geochemical, and lipid biomarker analyses. Carbonate rocks occurred as fractured blocks and nodular masses incorporated in carbonate breccias. The carbonates were comprised mainly of high-Mg-calcite and aragonite. The stable carbon isotope composition ($δ$13C) of authigenic carbonate varied from - 29.8{\textperthousand} to - 18.1{\textperthousand} vs. V-PDB, suggesting a complex mixture of various carbon sources, including dissolved marine inorganic carbon (DIC), oil, as well as methane. Oxygen isotopes ($δ$18O) varied from + 3.4{\textperthousand} to + 5.8{\textperthousand}. The observed 18O-enrichment in relation to calculated equilibrium values in the carbonates probably reflects decomposition of gas hydrates. The most abundant lipid biomarkers in the carbonates were isoprenoidal glycerol dibiphytanyl glycerol tetraethers (GDGTs), predominated by GDGT-2 and GDGT-3, which are typically indicators of anaerobic methane oxidizing archaea (ANMEs). Mono- and bicyclic biphytanes (derived after ether cleavage of GDGT-2 and GDGT-3) showed strong 13C-depletion, which is characteristic for ANMEs. Interestingly, large differences between the $δ$13C values of the archaeal diether archaeol and acyclic biphytane on the one hand and monocyclic biphytane on the other hand suggest the presence of archaea other than ANMEs. Archaeol and GDGT-0 (containing two acyclic biphytane moieties) are commonly assigned to various methanogenic archaea. Where methane seepage activity is intermediate or low within acoustic wipeout zones at the MC118 gas hydrate site nowadays, microbial communities must have coped with changing conditions as well as longer-term fluctuations in oil and gas seepage or the temporary cessation of hydrocarbon flux in the past. The change from methane seepage to oil seepage or vice versa in addition to flux variability apparently favors the establishment of complex prokaryotic communities dominated by archaea. In addition to anaerobic oxidation of methane, local production of methane is apparently prominent at the study site based on the occurrence of biomarkers of methanogens in the authigenic carbonate. This finding adds to the ongoing multidisciplinary effort to better constrain the environment at the MC118 observatory site and to determine the locally dominant biogeochemical processes.},
	keywords = {HOV Alvin (Human Occupied Vehicle), ROV Jason (Remotely Operated Vehicle)},
	doi = {10.1016/j.chemgeo.2014.07.020},
	author = {Feng, D and Birgel, D and Peckmann, J and Roberts, H H and Joye, S B and Sassen, R and Liu, X-L and Hinrichs, K -U and Chen, D}
}
@article {Joye2010,
	title = {{Biogeochemical signatures and microbial activity of different cold-seep habitats along the Gulf of Mexico deep slope}},
	journal = {Deep-Sea Research. Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography},
	volume = {57},
	number = {21-23},
	year = {2010},
	pages = {1990{\textendash}2001},
	abstract = {Microorganisms and the processes they mediate serve as the metabolic foundation of cold seeps. We characterized a suite of biogeochemical constituents and quantified rates of two key microbial processes, Sulfate Reduction (SR) and Anaerobic Oxidation of Methane (AOM), to assess variability between habitats at water depths exceeding 1000 m in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Rates of SR were highest in sediments beneath microbial mats, lower in brine-influenced and oil-influenced sediments, and lowest in animal habitats. Sediments collected near tubeworms had the highest SR rates for animal habitats. Rates of AOM generally were low, but higher rates were associated with brine-influenced, oil-influenced, tubeworm- and urchin-inhabited sediments. Rates of both SR and AOM were orders of magnitude lower at deep-slope sites compared to upper-slope sites examined previously. As observed at upper-slope sites, SR and AOM rates were often loosely coupled. At one site, AOM rates exceeded SR rates, suggesting that an alternate electron acceptor for AOM is possible. Extremely depleted $δ$13C values in methane illustrated the broad significance of biogenic methane production at deep-slope sites. Brine-influenced habitats were characterized by extremely high concentrations of ammonium and dissolved organic carbon, serving as important focused sources of these chemicals to adjacent environments.},
	keywords = {HOV Alvin (Human Occupied Vehicle), ROV Jason (Remotely Operated Vehicle)},
	issn = {0967-0645},
	doi = {10.1016/j.dsr2.2010.06.001},
	url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr2.2010.06.001},
	author = {Joye, S B and Bowles, M W and Samarkin, V A and Hunter, K S and Niemann, H}
}
@article {Roberts2010a,
	title = {{Cold-seep carbonates of the middle and lower continental slope, northern Gulf of Mexico}},
	journal = {Deep-Sea Research. Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography},
	volume = {57},
	number = {21-23},
	year = {2010},
	pages = {2040{\textendash}2054},
	abstract = {Authigenic carbonates from cold seeps on the middle and lower continental slope of the northern Gulf of Mexico (GOM) exhibit a wide range of mineralogical and stable isotopic compositions. These carbonates consist of concretions and nodules in surface sediments, hardgrounds of crusts and isolated slabs, and mounded buildups of blocks and slabs of up to over 10 meters in relief above the surrounding seafloor. Mineralogically, the carbonates are dominated by high-Mg calcite (HMC) and aragonite. However, low levels ({\textless}5 wt{\%}) of dolomite are present in most samples. Petrographically, Mg-calcite peloidal matrix and acicular to botryoidal aragonitic void-filling cements are the most frequent associations. The carbon isotopic compositions of the carbonates range from -60.8 to 14.0{\textperthousand} PDB, indicating complex carbon sources that include 13C-depleted biogenic and thermogenic methane, biodegraded crude oil, seawater CO2, and 13C-enriched residual CO2 from methanogenesis. A similarly large variability in $δ$18O values (2.5 to 6.7{\textperthousand} PDB) demonstrates the geochemical complexity of the slope, with some samples pointing toward an 18O-enriched oxygen source that is possibly related to advection of 18O-enriched formation water and/or to the decomposition of gas hydrate. A considerable range of mineralogical and isotopic variations in cold-seep carbonate composition was noted even within individual study sites. However, common trends occur across multiple geographic areas. This situation suggests that local controls on fluid and gas flux, types of seep hydrocarbons, the presence or absence of gas hydrate in the near-surface sediment, and chemosynthetic communities, as well as the temporal evolution of the local hydrocarbon reservoir, all may play a part in determining carbonate mineralogy and isotope geochemistry. The carbon isotope data clearly indicate that between-site variation is greater than within-site variation. Seep carbonates formed on the middle and lower continental slope of the GOM do not appear to be substantially different from those found on the upper slope ({\textless}1000-m water depth). The highly variable fluids and gases that leave their geochemical imprints on seep carbonate of the middle and lower continental slope are similar to their outer shelf and upper slope counterparts.},
	keywords = {HOV Alvin (Human Occupied Vehicle), ROV Jason (Remotely Operated Vehicle)},
	issn = {0967-0645},
	doi = {10.1016/j.dsr2.2010.09.003},
	url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr2.2010.09.003},
	author = {Roberts, H H and Feng, D and Joye, S B}
}
@article {Wankel2010,
	title = {{New constraints on methane fluxes and rates of anaerobic methane oxidation in a Gulf of Mexico brine pool via in situ mass spectrometry}},
	journal = {Deep-Sea Research. Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography},
	volume = {57},
	number = {21-23},
	year = {2010},
	pages = {2022{\textendash}2029},
	abstract = {Deep-sea biogeochemical cycles are, in general, poorly understood owing to the difficulties of making measurements in situ, recovering samples with minimal perturbation, and, in many cases, coping with high spatial and temporal heterogeneity. In particular, biogeochemical fluxes of volatiles such as methane remain largely unconstrained because of the difficulties with accurate quantification in situ and the patchiness of point sources such as seeps and brine pools. To better constrain biogeochemical fluxes and cycling, we have developed a deep-sea in situ mass spectrometer (ISMS) to enable high-resolution quantification of volatiles in situ. Here we report direct measurements of methane concentrations made in a Gulf of Mexico brine pool located at a depth of over 2300 m. Concentrations of up to 33 mM methane were observed within the brine pool, whereas concentrations in the water directly above were three orders of magnitude lower. These direct measurements enabled us to make the first accurate estimates of the diffusive flux from a brine pool, calculated to be 1.1{\textpm}0.2 mol m-2 yr-1. Integrated rate measurements of aerobic methane oxidation in the water column overlying the brine pool were \~{}320 $μ$mol m-2 yr-1, accounting at most for just 0.03{\%} of the diffusive methane flux from the brine pool. Calculated rates of anaerobic methane oxidation were 600{\textendash}1200 $μ$M yr-1, one to two orders of magnitude higher than previously published values of AOM in anoxic fluids. These findings suggest that brine pools are enormous point sources of methane in the deep sea, and may, in aggregate, have a pronounced impact on the global marine methane cycle.},
	keywords = {HOV Alvin (Human Occupied Vehicle), ROV Jason (Remotely Operated Vehicle)},
	issn = {0967-0645},
	doi = {10.1016/j.dsr2.2010.05.009},
	url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr2.2010.05.009},
	author = {Wankel, S D and Joye, S B and Samarkin, V A and Shah, S R and Friederich, G and Melas-Kyriazi, J and Girguis, P R}
}
