Morgane Léon

Morgane Léon

Dispersion and biochemical reactivity of trace metals around a hydrothermal plume, located on the Atlantic ridge.

Or

The dispersion of particles from the TAG hydrothermal plume.

Morgane is working on a hydrothermal site called TAG, located on the oceanic ridge in the middle of the Atlantic. On this site, fluids that are hotter than seawater and enriched with various chemical elements (like iron, copper, or even manganese) which are released into the ocean via hydrothermal vents. These fluids mix with seawater, and the chemical elements from the fluid are dispersed in the ocean by currents. Thanks to seawater samples collected in the sea, Morgane is trying to estimate the quantity of chemical elements transported in the ocean but also to better understand the physical, chemical, and biological processes that affect their distribution. A mass spectrometer was used to measure the concentrations of chemical elements in seawater and in the particles emitted by these fluids. She also uses a scanning electron microscope to observe the particles emitted by these vents, which are often smaller than a hair.

Why this subject ?

During her PhD, Morgane was studying radium in the oceans. It’s a naturally occurring radioactive element. It enables scientists to trace seawater that has been in contact with sediments. At the beginning of her thesis, Morgane was lucky enough to take part in a 2 months campaign at sea between South Africa and Australia. Thanks to measurements of radium in the seawater, Morgane and the crew discovered a hydrothermal system on the south-west Indian ridge. These systems have since aroused her interest, both from a scientific and societal point of view.

Moreover, after a PhD completed in Toulouse, Morgane could not wait to get back to the sea to take full advantage of coastal activities and breathe in the Breton sea spray.