David A. Butterfield

Senior Research Scientist

PhD, Oceanography, University of Washington, 1990

E-mail: david.a.butterfield@noaa.gov

Office: 1045 PMEL, Bldg 3

7600 Sand Point Way NE

Seattle WA 98115 USA

Phone: 206-526-6722

Fax: (206) 526-6054

Research Interests

Interdisciplinary studies of submarine volcanoes and hydrothermal systems, with emphasis on using fluid chemistry to understand physical, chemical, and biological processes. Developing sampling and sensing instrumentation for deep-sea hydrothermal environments.

See website: http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/vents/index.html

Current Research Projects

• Quantifying the impact of methane-producing microbes in hydrothermal systems through a combined chemical and microbiological approach.
• Survey of newly discovered hydrothermal features and processes on intra-oceanic submarine volcanic arcs of the western Pacific.
• Investigating the role of magmatic fluids at active volcanic sites.
• Monitoring changes in hydrothermal chemistry associated with volcanic and seismic activity on mid-ocean ridges.
• Investigating the role of hydrothermal fluid chemistry in the structure of microbial communities.

Selected Publications

Huber, J., A.D.A. Butterfield, and J.A. Baross (2006): Diversity and distribution of subseafloor Thermococcales populations in diffuse hydrothermal vents at an active deep-sea volcano in the northeast Pacific ocean. J. Geophys. Res., 111, G04016, doi:10.1029/2005JG000097.

Lang, S.Q., D.A. Butterfield, M.D. Lilley, H.P. Johnson, and J.I. Hedges (2006): Dissolved organic carbon in ridge-axis and ridge-flank hydrothermal systems. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 70(15), 3830-3842.

Lupton, J., D. Butterfield, M. Lilley, L. Evans, J. Resing, R. Embley, E. Olson, G. Proskurowski, W. Chadwick, Jr., E. Baker, C. de Ronde, K.-I. Nakamura, K. Roe, R. Greene, and G. Lebon (2006): Submarine venting of liquid carbon dioxide on a Mariana Arc volcano. Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst. 7, Q08007, doi:10.1029/2005GC001152.

Butterfield, D.A., Lilley, M.D., Huber, J.A., Roe, K.K., Embley, R.E., Baross, J.A. and Massoth, G.J., (2004) Mixing, Reaction and Microbial Activity in the Sub-seafloor Revealed by Temporal and Spatial Variation in Diffuse Flow Vents at Axial Volcano. In: The Sub-seafloor Biosphere at Mid-ocean Ridges, (eds. W.S.D. Wilcock, D.S. Kelley, J.A. Baross, E. DeLong, and C. Cary) Geophysical Monograph, American Geophysical Union.

Lilley, M.D., Butterfield, D.A., Lupton, J.E., and Olson, E.J. (2003) Magmatic events can produce rapid changes in hydrothermal vent chemistry. Nature, 422(6934), 878-881.

Butterfield, D.A., I.R. Jonasson, G.J. Massoth, R.A. Feely, K.K. Roe, R.E. Embley, J.F. Holden, R.E. McDuff, M.D. Lilley, and J.R. Delaney (1997) Seafloor eruptions and evolution of hydrothermal fluid chemistry. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London A, 355, 369-386.

UW Responsibilities

Affiliate Associate Professor, Oceanography