Achievements
[2010]
Proving the occurrence of electrical current generation across the Black Smoker Chimney
The SUGAR Program has worked in collaboration with Prof. Kazuhito Hashimotofs group of Tokyo University, and carried out an electrochemical analysis with the sample collected from the chimney from the deep sea hydrothermal vent. From this experiment, it made clear of the chimney composed by Black Smoker, made of sulfide minerals possessing a high electrical conductivity. In addition, the presence of electrical current across the wall of the Chimneys was proved. This electrical current occurs due to the chemical reactions similar to the battery between inside and outside of the Chimney in natural environment. These experimental results are the world-first proof of the Earthfs internal energy being converted into electrical energy, when released at the seafloor. This gHydrothermal Chimney Battery phenomenonh will surely explain more about the origin- of-life mechanisms, as well as deep sea biological activity and material circulation.
(Fig. Left) A piece of Black Smoker Chimney used in experiment (Labels; Left: Chimneyfs outer surface, Right: inner surface, Bottom: cross section)
(Fig. Top right) An enlarged photo of Chimneyfs inner wall (scanning electron microscopy)
(Fig. Bottom right) A concept diagram of the Chimneyfs cross electrical current