EPSC Abstracts Vol. 12, EPSC2018-381-1, 2018 European Planetary Science Congress 2018 EEuropeaPn PlanetarSy Science CCongress c Author(s) 2018 Discovery of a hydrothermal fissure in the Danakil depression Daniel Mège (1), Ernst Hauber (2), Mieke De Craen (3), Hugo Moors (3) and Christian Minet (2) (1) Space Research Centre, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland (
[email protected]), (2) DLR, Germany (
[email protected],
[email protected], (3) Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, Belgium (
[email protected],
[email protected]) Abstract Oily Lake and Gaet’Ale). It is manifested by (1) salt polygon geometry directly influenced by the underlying Volcanic rift zones are among the most emblematic fracture; (2) bubbling pools; (3) dead pools; (4) shallow analogue features on Earth and Mars [1-2], with expected sinkholes; (4) a variety of other micromorphologies differences mainly resulting from the different value of a related to free or pressurised upflow of gas and fluids; single parameter, gravity [3]. Beyond the understanding and (5) rare evidence of fumarolic activity. In this context, of the geology, rift zones provide appropriate the Yellow Lake appears as a possible salt karst feature hydrothermal environments for the development of [10] the location and growth of which is controlled by micro-organisms in extreme conditions which depend at relay zone deformation between the fissure segments. first order on endogenic processes, and weakly on the planetary climate conditions. The Europlanet 2018 3. Hydrothermal fluids Danakil field campaign enabled identifying a previously The physico-chemistry of fluids and minerals from two unreported 4.5 km long hydrothermal fissure on the Lake small pools located along the Yellow Lake Fissure, as Asale salt flats, the Erta Ale - Dallol segment of the well as the Yellow Lake, have been analysed (Table 1).