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An international team led by the University of Bremen has identified a new process for hydrogen generation at the Jøtul Hydrothermal Field off Norway. This field, discovered in 2022, lies at a depth of 3,000 meters on the Knipovich Ridge, where high pressures influence geological and chemical processes.

Initially thought to be solely due to serpentinization, researchers found that organic materials in sediments decompose under supercritical conditions, releasing hydrogen molecules. The findings, published in Communications Earth & Environment, suggest that interactions between fluids and sediments may be a significant source of dissolved hydrogen in the ocean. Further research will continue under the Cluster of Excellence 'The Ocean Floor - Earth's Uncharted Interface', with new expeditions planned for 2026 to enhance understanding of hydrothermal vent compositions.