The detailed petrologic and geochemical study of a suite of metrmorphic rocks recovered from the Hess Deep will be conducted. The goal is to develop a model for the spatial and temporal evolution of metamorphism in the ocean crustal sections considering the effects of axial hydrothermal alteration, crustal aging, and uplift and exposure of the scarps. This study provides the opportunity to characterize the root.zones of hydrothermal systems as well as the processes that control the distribution of metamorphism in oceanic crust.
