Siebert, C.Ionescu, D.Mallast, U.Merchel, S.Merkel, B.Möller, P.Pavetich, S.Pohl, T.Rödiger, T.Yechieli, Y.2025-05-232025-05-230048-9697PubMed:39419230http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85207095248&partnerID=8YFLogxKhttps://hdl.handle.net/1885/733752373In contrast to the subaquatic sulphide and carbonate chimneys, which are known from Mid Ocean Ridges and abyssal submarine volcanoes, chimneys built of salts have not been described yet. Here we present such halite chimneys as a new form of cold-water smokers in hypersaline environments. The here described structures rise up from the bottom of the Dead Sea and result from the submarine discharge of saturated halite-dissolution brines into the salt lake, which is at halite saturation and holds remarkable chloride excess. At the interface with the lake brine, halite precipitates instantaneously, forming chimneys up to several meters in height. The brines leading to the formation of these chimneys vary in composition, while their generation processes are similar. Fresh groundwater from surrounding aquifers enters the saline lake sediments and considerably leaches halite in the adjacencies of the lake. Simultaneously, it mixes with ancient brines before it emerges from the lake floor. The distinct differences in composition between the Dead Sea and the emerging chimney brines lead to the instantaneous crystallisation of halite and few other mineral phases. The chimney structure result from the buoyancy flow of the chimney brines, which are less dense then the ambient Dead Sea. The chimneys indicate intense cavitation of massive halite bodies in the subsurface of the Dead Sea environment, a process that leads to increasing formation of hazardous sinkholes. Since chimneys are proven in shallow water but may be expected in deeper parts too, they are comfortably mappable by echo-sounding or aerial imaging. They thus provide in the Dead Sea as in any likewise setting a potent predictive tool to locate dangerous subsurface cavitation and hence areas that are at risk of collapse in the near future.The study was funded by (1) the German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) (SUMAR; project code 02WM0848) and (2) the Helmholtz-Association (DESERVE Virtual Institute; project code VH-VI-527). We appreciate field guiding and technical support by J. BenZaken (Mizpe Shalem; Israel); C. Wilske for sampling and lab preparations of 36Cl samples; J. Hub\u00E1lkov\u00E1 (TUBAF) for preparing CT images; K.P. Stanek (TUBAF) for preparing REM-images; M. Magnus (TUBAF) for preparing thin sections; the ASTER Team and R. Braucher (CEREGE, Aix-en-Provence) and G. Rugel (HZDR) for 36Cl/Cl determination of a significant number of samples. Parts of this research were carried out at the Ion Beam Centre (IBC) at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf e. V. a member of the Helmholtz Association. C. Tiessen (Univ. Ottawa) is thanked for linguistic improvement of the manuscript and S. Geyer (UFZ) for immensely supporting the research by being member of the acquisition team. The study was funded by (1) the German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) (SUMAR; project code 02WM0848 ) and (2) the Helmholtz-Association (DESERVE Virtual Institute; project code VH-VI-527 ). We appreciate field guiding and technical support by J. BenZaken (Mizpe Shalem; Israel); C. Wilske for sampling and lab preparations of 36 Cl samples; J. Hub\u00E1lkov\u00E1 (TUBAF) for preparing CT images; K.P. Stanek (TUBAF) for preparing REM-images; M. Magnus (TUBAF) for preparing thin sections; the ASTER Team and R. Braucher (CEREGE, Aix-en-Provence) and G. Rugel (HZDR) for 36 Cl/Cl determination of a significant number of samples. Parts of this research were carried out at the Ion Beam Centre (IBC) at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf e. V., a member of the Helmholtz Association. C. Tiessen (Univ. Ottawa) is thanked for linguistic improvement of the manuscript and S. Geyer (UFZ) for immensely supporting the research by being member of the acquisition team.15en© 2024 The AuthorsCold-water smokerSalt cavitationSinkhole hazardSubmarine groundwater discharge2024-12-1010.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.17675285207095248