Seafloor cold seeps are globally distributed, from tropical margins to high-latitude basins, and are recognized as critical components of the global carbon cycle. They serve as primary pathways and biological filters for hydrocarbons migrating from subseafloor reservoirs into the ocean. These systems drive interconnected biogeochemical processes from the near-seafloor to the water column, resulting in complex geochemical gradients, distinct geomorphologies, and unique chemosynthetic communities. The impacts of cold seeps on the surrounding environment are complex, highly dynamic, and sensitive to external perturbation.

This session seeks multidisciplinary contributions that advance our understanding of seep processes and their impacts across the global ocean. We welcome studies on geologic controls of seepage, biogeochemical cycling, chemosynthetic ecosystems, carbonate geochemistry, seep detection/exploration, and fossil cold seeps. Contributions utilizing high-resolution geophysical integration, ecosystem structure and function, geochemical models, and numerical simulations, as well as results from field and laboratory studies, are encouraged.

• B - Biogeosciences
• GC - Global Environmental Change
• PP - Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology