scholarly journals Hydrothermal recycling of sedimentary ammonium into oceanic crust and the Archean ocean at 3.24 Ga

Geology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
E.E. Stüeken ◽  
T.J. Boocock ◽  
A. Robinson ◽  
S. Mikhail ◽  
B.W. Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Oceanic Crust ◽  
Hydrothermal Vents ◽  
Nutrient Recycling ◽  
Volcanic Rocks ◽  
Sedimentary Rocks ◽  
Hydrothermal Systems ◽  
Hydrothermal Fluids ◽  
Biological Productivity ◽  
Recycling Process ◽  
Fixed Nitrogen

The Archean ocean supported a diverse microbial ecosystem, yet studies suggest that seawater was largely depleted in many essential nutrients, including fixed nitrogen. This depletion was in part a consequence of inefficient nutrient recycling under anoxic conditions. Here, we show how hydrothermal fluids acted as a recycling mechanism for ammonium (NH4+) in the Archean ocean. We present elemental and stable isotope data for carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur from shales and hydrothermally altered volcanic rocks from the 3.24 Ga Panorama district in Western Australia. This suite documents the transfer of NH4+ from organic-rich sedimentary rocks into underlying sericitized dacite, similar to what is seen in hydrothermal systems today. On modern Earth, hydrothermal fluids that circulate through sediment packages are enriched in NH4+ to millimolar concentrations because they efficiently recycle organic-bound N. Our data show that a similar hydrothermal recycling process dates back to at least 3.24 Ga, and it may have resulted in localized centers of enhanced biological productivity around hydrothermal vents. Last, our data provide evidence that altered oceanic crust at 3.24 Ga was enriched in nitrogen, and, when subducted, it satisfies the elemental and isotopic source requirements for a low-N, but 15N-enriched, deep mantle nitrogen reservoir as sampled by mantle plumes.

scholarly journals 3.5-Ga hydrothermal fields and diamictites in the Barberton Greenstone Belt—Paleoarchean crust in cold environments

2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. e1500368 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maarten J. de Wit ◽  
Harald Furnes
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Volcanic Rocks ◽  
Hydrothermal Systems ◽  
Hydrothermal Fluids ◽  
Sea Floor ◽  
Cold Environments ◽  
Barberton Greenstone Belt ◽  
Mineral Growth ◽  
Hydrothermal Fields

Estimates of ocean temperatures on Earth 3.5 billion years ago (Ga) range between 26° and 85°C. We present new data from 3.47- to 3.43-Ga volcanic rocks and cherts in South Africa suggesting that these temperatures reflect mixing of hot hydrothermal fluids with cold marine and terrestrial waters. We describe fossil hydrothermal pipes that formed at ~200°C on the sea floor >2 km below sea level. This ocean floor was uplifted tectonically to sea level where a subaerial hydrothermal system was active at 30° to 270°C. We also describe shallow-water glacial diamictites and diagenetic sulfate mineral growth in abyssal muds. These new observations reveal that both hydrothermal systems operated in relatively cold environments and that Earth’s surface temperatures in the early Archean were similar to those in more recent times.

scholarly journals Analysis of Hydrothermal Systems Beneath Tayukeng through Long-Term Geochemical Signals of Hydrothermal Fluids in Tatun Volcano Group, Taiwan

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (14) ◽  
pp. 7411
Author(s):  
Hsin-Fu Yeh ◽  
Hung-Hsiang Hsu
Keyword(s):  
Surface Temperature ◽  
Hydrothermal System ◽  
Hydrothermal Fluid ◽  
Thermal Water ◽  
Hydrothermal Systems ◽  
Hydrothermal Fluids ◽  
Geochemical Variations ◽  
Northern Taiwan

The Tatun Volcano Group (TVG) is located in northern Taiwan and consists of many springs and fumaroles. The Tayukeng (TYK) area is the most active fumarole site in the TVG. In this study, we analyzed the long-term geochemical variations of hydrothermal fluids and proposed a mechanism responsible for the variation in TYK. There are two different aquifers beneath the TYK area: a shallow SO42−-rich aquifer and a deeper aquifer rich in Cl−. TYK thermal water was mainly supplied by the shallow SO42−-rich aquifer; therefore, the thermal water showed high SO42− concentrations. After 2015, the inflow of deep thermal water increased, causing the Cl− concentrations of the TYK to increase. Notably, the inferred reservoir temperatures based on quartz geothermometry increased; however, the surface temperature of the spring decreased. We inferred that the enthalpy was lost during transportation to the surface. Therefore, the surface temperature of the spring does not increase with an increased inflow of deep hydrothermal fluid. The results can serve as a reference for understanding the complex evolution of the magma-hydrothermal system in the TVG.

Hydrothermal Sr contamination of the Dippin sill, Isle of Arran, Western Scotland

1984 ◽  
Vol 48 (348) ◽  
pp. 311-322 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. P. Dickin ◽  
C. M. B. Henderson ◽  
F. G. F. Gibb
Keyword(s):  
Stable Isotope ◽  
Hydrothermal Alteration ◽  
Closed System ◽  
Hydrothermal Systems ◽  
Hydrothermal Fluids ◽  
Drill Core ◽  
Sr Isotope ◽  
Core Section ◽  
High Silica ◽  
Isotope Measurements

Abstract The Dippin sill, which is emplaced into the Triassic sediments of SE Arran, is an alkaline basic sheet which displays pronounced hydrothermal alteration. The 40-m-thick sill has suffered pervasive contamination with radiogenic Sr, introduced from the Triassic sediments by hydrothermal fluids. Stable isotope measurements suggest that fluids were of meteoric origin, but were restricted to a small closed-system circulation. Initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios in the sill were raised from an original value of 0.7032 to a maximum of 0.7091, contamination being especially pronounced near the contacts at Dippin Head itself (localities 12 and 14) and in a drill core section through the sill above Dippin. Hydrothermal Sr was incorporated into an early-formed high-CaO, high-Sr analcime, which replaced unstable high-silica nepheline in interstitial patches. However, this high-CaO analcime, along with plagioclase, was later replaced by a low-CaO, low-Sr analcime, allowing Sr leaching from the margins of the sill. Hydrothermal fluids are thought to have migrated up to 1 km laterally, up the dip of the sill, mainly via tension joints forming in the cooling intrusion. Pooling of hot fluids at the upper end of the sill probably raised water/rock ratios in this region and allowed greater Sr contamination during mineralogical alteration. The undersaturated mineralogy of the sill accounts for its pervasive hydrothermal Sr contamination, which contrasts markedly with the relatively undisturbed Sr isotope compositions of Hebridean granites involved in hydrothermal systems.

scholarly journals Geology of the orogenic Cheminis gold deposit along the Larder Lake – Cadillac deformation zone, Ontario

2015 ◽  
Vol 52 (12) ◽  
pp. 1093-1108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruno Lafrance
Keyword(s):  
Deformation Zone ◽  
Volcanic Rocks ◽  
Tholeiitic Basalt ◽  
Hydrothermal Fluids ◽  
South Side ◽  
Shear Sense ◽  
Abitibi Subprovince ◽  
Deformation Features ◽  
Shear Sense Indicators ◽  
Host Rocks

The Larder Lake – Cadillac deformation zone (LLCDZ) is one of two major, auriferous, deformation zones in the southern Abitibi subprovince of the Archean Superior Province. It hosts the Cheminis and the giant Kerr Addison – Chesterville deposits within a strongly deformed band of Fe-rich tholeiitic basalt and komatiite of the Larder Lake Group (ca. 2705 Ma). The latter is bounded on both sides by younger, less deformed, Timiskaming turbidites (2674–2670 Ma). The earliest deformation features are F1 folds affecting the Timiskaming rocks, which formed either during D1 extensional faulting or during early D2 north–south shortening related to the opening and closure, respectively, of the Timiskaming basin. Continued shortening during D2 imbricated the older volcanic rocks and turbidites and produced regional F2 folds with an axial planar S2 cleavage. D2 deformation was partitioned into the weaker band of volcanic rocks, producing the strong S2 foliation, L2 stretching lineation, and south-side-up shear sense indicators, which characterize the LLCDZ. Gold is present in quartz–carbonate veins in deformed fuchsitic komatiites (carbonate ore) and turbiditic sandstone (sandstone-hosted ore), and in association with disseminated pyrite in altered Fe-rich tholeiitic basalts (flow ore). All host rocks underwent strong mass gains in CO2, S, K2O, Ba, As, and W, during sericitization, carbonatization, and sulphidation of the host rocks, suggesting that they interacted with the same hydrothermal fluids. Textural relationships between alteration minerals and S2 cleavage indicate that mineralization is syn-cleavage. Thus, gold was deposited as hydrothermal fluids migrated upward along the LLCDZ during contractional, D2 south-side-up shearing. The gold zones were subsequently modified during D3 reactivation of the LLCDZ as a dextral transcurrent fault zone.

A Discussion on global tectonics in Proterozoic times - Late Proterozoic cratonization in southwest Saudi Arabia

1976 ◽  
Vol 280 (1298) ◽  
pp. 517-527 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Volcanic Rocks ◽  
Sedimentary Rocks ◽  
Granulite Facies ◽  
Greenschist Facies ◽  
Arabian Shield ◽  
Granulite Facies Metamorphism ◽  
Quartz Monzonite ◽  
Facies Metamorphism ◽  
Global Tectonics

Early cratonal development of the Arabian Shield of southwestern Saudi Arabia began with the deposition of calcic to calc-alkalic, basaltic to dacitic volcanic rocks, and immature sedimentary rocks that subsequently were moderately deformed, metamorphosed, and intruded about 960 Ma ago by dioritic batholiths of mantle derivation (87Sr/86Sr = 0.7029). A thick sequence of calc-alkalic andesitic to rhyodacitic volcanic rocks and volcanoclastic wackes was deposited unconformably on this neocraton. Regional greenschistfacies metamorphism, intensive deformation along north-trending structures, and intrusion of mantle-derived (87Sr/86Sr = 0.7028) dioritic to granodioritic batholiths occurred about 800 Ma. Granodiorite was emplaced as injection gneiss about 785 Ma (87Sr/86Sr = 0.7028- 0.7035) in localized areas of gneiss doming and amphibolite to granulite facies metamorphism. Deposition of clastic and volcanic rocks overlapped in time and followed orogeny at 785 Ma. These deposits, together with the older rocks, were deformed, metamorphosed to greenschist facies, and intruded by calc-alkalic plutons (87Sr/86Sr = 0.7035) between 600 and 650 Ma. Late cratonal development between 570 and 550 Ma involved moderate pulses of volcanism, deformation, metamorphism to greenschist facies, and intrusion of quartz monzonite and granite. Cratonization appears to have evolved in an intraoceanic, island-arc environment of comagmatic volcanism and intrusion.

scholarly journals Relief evolution of landslide slopes in the Kamienne Mts (Central Sudetes, Poland) – analysis of a high-resolution DEM from airborne LiDAR

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aleksandra Osika ◽  
Małgorzata Wistuba ◽  
Ireneusz Malik
Keyword(s):  
Cross Sections ◽  
Volcanic Rocks ◽  
Sedimentary Rocks ◽  
Airborne Lidar ◽  
Lidar Data ◽  
Mountain Ridge ◽  
Geological Maps ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Sw Poland ◽  
Landslide Development

Abstract The aim of the study is to reconstruct the development of landslide relief in the Kamienne Mountains (Central Sudetes, SW Poland) based on a DEM from LiDAR data. Analyses of relief and geological maps in ArcGIS 10.5 and of slope cross-sections in Surfer 14 allowed to distinguish different types of landslide relief, developed in latites and trachybasalts lying above claystones and mudstones. The types vary from small, poorly visible landslides to vast landslides with complex relief. They were interpreted as consecutive stages of geomorphic evolution of hillslope-valley topography of the study area. Two main schemes have been established which explain the development of landslide slopes in the Kamienne Mts: (1) upslope, from the base of the slope towards the mountain ridge and (2) downslope, beginning on the top of the mountain ridge. The direction of landslide development depends on the thickness of volcanic rocks in relation to underlying sedimentary rocks. When the latter appear only in the lowest part of the slope, landslides develop upslope. If sedimentary rocks dominate on the slope and volcanic rocks form only its uppermost part, landslides develop downslope. The results show that landsliding leads to significant modifications of relief of the study area, including complete degradation of mountain ridges.

scholarly journals Mercury abundance and isotopic composition indicate subaerial volcanism prior to the end-Archean “whiff” of oxygen

2021 ◽  
Vol 118 (33) ◽  
pp. e2107511118
Author(s):  
Jana Meixnerová ◽  
Joel D. Blum ◽  
Marcus W. Johnson ◽  
Eva E. Stüeken ◽  
Michael A. Kipp ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Isotope Composition ◽  
Volcanic Rocks ◽  
Nutrient Supply ◽  
Photochemical Reactions ◽  
Biological Productivity ◽  
Stable Isotope Composition ◽  
Great Oxidation Event ◽  
Early Atmosphere ◽  
Driving Mechanisms ◽  
Pilbara Craton

Earth’s early atmosphere witnessed multiple transient episodes of oxygenation before the Great Oxidation Event 2.4 billion years ago (Ga) [e.g., A. D. Anbar et al., Science 317, 1903–1906 (2007); M. C. Koehler, R. Buick, M. E. Barley, Precambrian Res. 320, 281–290 (2019)], but the triggers for these short-lived events are so far unknown. Here, we use mercury (Hg) abundance and stable isotope composition to investigate atmospheric evolution and its driving mechanisms across the well-studied “whiff” of O2 recorded in the ∼2.5-Ga Mt. McRae Shale from the Pilbara Craton in Western Australia [A. D. Anbar et al., Science 317, 1903–1906 (2007)]. Our data from the oxygenated interval show strong Hg enrichment paired with slightly negative ∆199Hg and near-zero ∆200Hg, suggestive of increased oxidative weathering. In contrast, slightly older beds, which were evidently deposited under an anoxic atmosphere in ferruginous waters [C. T. Reinhard, R. Raiswell, C. Scott, A. D. Anbar, T. W. Lyons, Science 326, 713–716 (2009)], show Hg enrichment coupled with positive ∆199Hg and slightly negative ∆200Hg values. This pattern is consistent with photochemical reactions associated with subaerial volcanism under intense UV radiation. Our results therefore suggest that the whiff of O2 was preceded by subaerial volcanism. The transient interval of O2 accumulation may thus have been triggered by diminished volcanic O2 sinks, followed by enhanced nutrient supply to the ocean from weathering of volcanic rocks causing increased biological productivity.

scholarly journals Dominant Weathering Profile Assessment of Kebo-Butak Volcanic Rocks in Gedangsari and Ngawen area, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fathan Hanifi Mada Mahendra ◽  
I Gde Budi Indrawan ◽  
Sugeng Sapto Surjono
Keyword(s):  
Volcanic Rocks ◽  
Sedimentary Rocks ◽  
Coarse Grained ◽  
Residual Soil ◽  
Geological Condition ◽  
Weathering Profile ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Degree Pattern ◽  
Weathering Degree ◽  
East West

The Gedangsari and Ngawen area is predominantly composed of volcanic and volcaniclastic sequencesdistributed east – west direction of the northern parts of Southern Mountain. The massive tectonism as well as tropical climatein this region have been producing weathering profiles in varying thickness which inevitably affects thegeotechnical properties. This study aims to assess the dominant weathering profileof the lower part of Kebo-Butak Formation as well as evaluating the distribution of the discontinuity. In order to know the dominant weathering profile and discontinuity evaluation, this study utilizes a total of  26 panels from five stations investigated through a geotechnical data acquisition including the geological condition, weathering zones, joint distribution, and discontinuity characteristics. The result shows four types of dominant weathering profiles in lower part of Kebo-Butak Formation called as dominant weathering profile A, B, C, and D. Profile A, B, C consisted of a relatively identical weathering degree pattern of fresh, slightly, moderately, completely weathered zone with the variation of thicknesses. However, the weathering degree in profile D reached the residual soil degree controlled by more intensive joints. The fine-grained sedimentary rocks also tends to have smaller spacing, shorter persistence, and higher weathering degree of discontinuities as compared to coarse-grained sedimentary rocks.

Contrasting fold styles in a volcano-sedimentary succession

1996 ◽  
Vol 33 (8) ◽  
pp. 1193-1200
Author(s):  
Pierre A. Cousineau ◽  
Robert Marquis
Keyword(s):  
Sedimentary Basin ◽  
Volcanic Rocks ◽  
Sedimentary Rocks ◽  
Structural Models ◽  
Sedimentary Basins ◽  
Basaltic Rocks ◽  
Field Evidence ◽  
Sedimentary Succession

Structural analyses of folded volcano-sedimentary basins rely heavily on the identification and use of way-up structures. These structures are more numerous and widespread in sedimentary rocks than in volcanic rocks. Structural models for such basins can therefore be biased by this fact. The Caldwell Group of the Quebec Appalachians is a folded volcano-sedimentary basin bounded bay major faults. It contains locally abundant basalt-rich bands. Near Lac-Etchemin, way-up in basalt flows is determined by pillow shelves that reflect paleohorizontal planes. The strike and dip of these shelf structures were measured and plotted on stereographic projections. Field evidence and the interpretation of stereographic projections indicate that the basalt-rich bands form open folds that plunge gently to the southwest. However, sandstone-rich bands form tight folds with undulating hinge lines (sheath-like). During initial folding, the basalt formed competent bands with limited aerial extent that were fractured by synthetic and antithetic faults rather than folded. The basalt slivers maintained a near-horizontal attitude while adjacent sedimentary rocks were folded and faulted. Further shortening tightened folds in the sediment-rich bands while producing open folds in slivers of basaltic rocks.

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