Geophysical investigation of exchange between planetary oceans and rocky interior- knowledge from deep sea scenarios on Earth

Insights from half a century investigating seafloor hydrothermal circulation on Earth can inform exploration on other Ocean Worlds. Early data/models for Earth provided useful predictions for flow at rift axes, but interpretations of the distribution of subseafloor circulation were revised significantly as data and simulations improved. Lessons learned for Earth systems elucidate how investigators might assess hydrothermal processes on other Ocean Worlds. Basin-scale morphology and heat flow indicate whether conduction explains the flux or cooling by seawater advection occurs. Detailed sonar mapping reveals areas where high flux is most likely. Seismicity patterns suggest different modes of circulation: East Pacific circulation is mapped via microseismicity within porous basaltic crust; Regional seismicity in the Atlantic highlights detachment-dominated rift segments, where faults channel circulation, sometimes within peridotite blocks that react with seawater. Exothermic serpentinization, also inferred f...