碳酸钙同质多象转变过程中氧同位素分馏的实验研究

本文通过“一步法”和“两步法”的“附晶生长法”分别合成了碳酸钙矿物，对其进行了同质多象转变过程中的氧同位素分馏行为的研究。同时通过真空条件下的同质多象转变实验，对文石和方解石的酸分馏系数的差异进行了实验验证。结果发现：①在50℃和70℃下，如果文石与水之间的氧同位素分馏未达到平衡，由母体文石经过同质多象转变生成的次生方解石完全继承的母体矿物的氧同位素组成。如果文石与水之间的氧同位素分馏达到平衡，由互过同质多象转变生成的次生方解石部分继承母体文石的氧同位素组成，并且次生方解石相对于母体文石富集^18O。②在0℃和25℃下，“一步法”的“附晶生长法”的实验结果表明，由六方方解石经过同质多象转变生成的次生方解石也完全继承母体矿物的氧同位素组成，并且在该温度下，矿物与水之间的氧同位素分馏与温度无关。     

碳酸盐矿物氧同位素分馏的理论研究

应用增量方法系统地计算了碳酸盐矿物的同位素分馏系数，得到不同结构和成分的碳酸盐矿物的18O富集顺序为：菱铁矿〉铁白云石〉菱镁矿≥白云石≥方解石〉文石〉菱锶矿〉白铅矿〉碳钡矿。在0℃～1200℃范围内获得了一组内部一致的碳酸盐－水体系的理论分馏系数，这些计算结果与已知的实验和／或经验数据之间存在良好的一致性，因此本文对碳酸盐矿物氧同位素分馏系数的理论校准不仅可应用于共生矿物组合形成温度的确定，而且能够应用于其形成机理的示踪。 计算结果表明，白云石的氧同位素分馏行为与方解石相似，在25℃下白云石与方解石之间的平衡分馏为0.56‰ 。理论预测文石相对于方解石显著地亏损 δ18O，在25℃时方解石与文石之问的平衡分馏为4.47‰ 。文石向方解石的同质多相转变可能是通过一种没有同位素再造的惰性氧结构单元[CO3]2- 进行的，即只涉及Ca2+ 与[C03]2- 基团之间键的断裂和再组台而未出现[CO3]2- 基团内部C－O键的断裂和再组合。结果在自然界和实验室实验中，文石中氧同位索配分的温度关系能够传递副方解石中来。这种在同质多相转变形成方解石过程中的氧同位素继承性对于了解白云石－方解石－水体系分馏的难题至关重要。理论预测也能够用来解释对方解石分馏的经验估算与实验测定之间的分歧。     

二氧化钛—水体系氧同位素分馏系数的实验研究

对ＴｉＯ２的两种常见同质多像变体金红石和锐钛矿与水之间的氧同位素分馏系数的实验研究进行了系统的总结和评述。水热晶化法和水热氧化法以及低温水解法获得的实验金红石－水体系分馏系数与增量方法理论计算结果相一致。低温水解法获得的够太矿－水体系分馏可能是一种不平衡分馏,其分馏系数的大小决定于锐钛矿的形成机制。同时,低温水解实验还揭示,在低温矿物形成和同质多像转变过程中可能存在氧同位素继承性,这对解释低温环境     

氢氧化物族矿物的氧同位素分馏

应用增量方法计算了氢氧化物族矿物的氧同位素分馏,得到常见氢氧化物的18O富集顺序为：褐铁矿＞三水铝石＞针铁矿＞水镁石＞硬水铝石。氢氧化物与其对应的氧化物相比显著地富集18O。三价阳离子的氢氧化物和氧化物的18O富集顺序为：M（OH）3＞MO（OH）＞M2O3。Al（OH）3同质多象变体之间也存在一定的分馏。对于石英-氢氧化物、方解石-氢氧化物和氢氧化物-水体系,本文计算提供了在0-1200℃温度范围内三组内部一致的分馏系数方程。这些理论校准与合成实验结果和／或地表温度下的天然样品相吻合,特别针铁矿、勃姆石和硬水铝石与水之间的氧同位素分馏关系能够满足地质测温的要求。因此,对氢氧化物-水体系的氧同位素分析可望提供表生环境下可靠的地质温度计。     

文石-水体系氧同位素分馏系数的低温实验研究

采用缓慢分解法和“两步法”的附晶生长法,在低温(0℃～70℃)下实验合成纯文石型碳酸 钙矿物,以XRD和SEM技术对合成矿物的相组成和形貌进行了鉴定。将XRD与SEM及氧同位素分 析技术相结合,研究了文石的生成速率与氧同位素分馏之间关系。对0℃、25℃和50℃条件 下采用缓慢分解法合成的文石进行SEM观察发现,随着温度升高,矿物生成速率加快,氧同 位素分馏逐渐趋于不平衡,导致50℃条件下获得的文石-水体系氧同位素分馏是一种不平衡 分馏,而0℃和25℃条件下获得的低值代表平衡分馏。将0℃和25℃以下采用缓慢分解法获得 的文石-水体系分馏低值与采用“两步法”的附晶生长法在50℃和70℃条件下获得的文石- 水体系平衡分馏数据相结合,得到0℃～70℃范围内文石-水体系氧同位素平衡分馏方程为 ：103lnα=20.41×103T－41.42。这个实验结果不仅与增量方法理论计算结 果一致,而且与前人低温实验获得的文石或文石与方解石混合相碳酸钙-水体系,以及生物 成因文石-水体系的氧同位素分馏结果相近。这是首次根据实验确定的无机成因文石-水体 系热力学平衡氧同位素分馏系数,因此对于无机成因文石在古沉积环境和古气候研究中的应 用具有重要参考价值。     

物相之间氧同位素分馏的高温高压实验研究

应用理论计算、实验测定和经验估计三种方法均能获取含固体矿物体系的氧同位素分馏系数,其中高温高压实验研究不仅能够得到物相之间的同位素平衡分馏系数,而且能够提供与同位素交换动力学和机理有关的信息。同位素分馏系数的实验校准方法已经由原来的两相体系（矿物Ｈ２Ｏ、矿物ＣＯ２和矿物ＣａＣＯ３）交换发展为三相体系（ＣａＣＯ３矿物流体）交换,化学合成、重结晶和矿物反应技术得到了进一步应用。本文评述了近十年来这一领域的研究进展,着重介绍了Ｈ２Ｏ、ＣＯ２和ＣａＣＯ３作为交换介质进行氧同位素分馏系数校准的技术原理和结果,探讨了热液和碳酸盐交换实验结果不一致的原因。     

角闪石族矿物的氧同位素分馏

利用增量方法和同位素交换技术,对角闪石族矿物的氧同位素分馏进行了理论计算和实验测定。理论结果表明,不同化学成分的角闪石之间存在一定的氧同位素分馏,其13O富集顺序为:钠闪石>蓝闪石>铁闪石>阳起石=镁铁门石≥直闪石≥透闪石>普通角闪石>铝直闪石>韭闪石。高温条件下(>500℃),角闪石相对于水亏损¹⁸O达1‰至3‰。实验进行在有少量流体存在的条件下,温度为520℃至680℃。所确定的方解石-透闪石氧同位素分馏系数与理论计算值在误差范围内完全一致。理论和实验确定的石英-透闪石分馏曲线均显着低于已知的经验校准曲线,反映了变质岩中含角闪石矿物集合体内部的退化同位素再平衡。     

矿物-水体系氢同位素平衡分馏和动力分馏的实验研究

矿物水体系氢同位素平衡分馏系数和动力分馏系数是同位素地球化学研究中的重要参数。这些参数大多由实验测定。氢同位素分馏的实验研究主要包括矿物水体系氢同位素交换实验,交换实验前后矿物、水的氢同位素分析及分馏机理、平衡分馏、动力分馏理论研究。为确保氢同位素分馏系数和一系列动力学参数的准确可靠,实验中防止氢透过容器壁扩散,避免空气中水汽污染样品,正确控制实验温度等都很重要。本研究以石英管代替前人常用的金（银、铂）管作反应容器,建立了一套实验研究羟基矿物水体系氢同位素平衡分馏和动力分馏的新方法,并开展了电气石水、黑柱石水体系氢同位素分馏的实验研究。所得一系列参数的精度明显好于国外报道的资料。此研究方法可广泛应用于羟基矿物水体系的氢同位素分馏的实验研究。     

石英、钠长石、钙长石、方解石中的氧同位素分馏

在t≥600℃的温度条件下,通过硅酸盐和方解石之间的无水交换,用实验测定了石英、钠长石、钙长石、方解石中的乎衡氧同位素分馏.这些体系中的氧同位素交换就象硅酸盐和水之间的交换那么快.分馏系数可概括为的△Q-Cc=×0.8310~6/t~2;△Ab-Cc=－0.57×10~6/t~2;△An-Cc=－1.59×10~6/t~2.从这些方程式很容易得到硅酸盐矿物对的分馏系数。将这些结果与热液实验所得到     

碳酸钙-水体系氧同位素平衡及稳态分馏的低温实验研究

采用“一步”和“两步”的直接沉淀法和附晶生长法在 5 0℃和 70℃分别合成碳钡矿和文石 ,测定不同条件下合成矿物与水之间的氧同位素分馏 ,结果显示 ,文石—水体系氧同位素分馏机理分两步 :(1) [CO3 ]2 - 与H2 O的氧同位素交换和平衡 ,此过程是文石 水氧同位素平衡的决速率步骤 ;(2 )与H2 O平衡以后的 [CO3 ]2 - 与Ca2 +]结合生成文石 ,此过程体现矿物形成过程中氧同位素分馏的结构效应。在此基础上 ,采用缓慢沉淀法和“两步”的附晶生长法获得了 0～ 70℃的文石 水体系氧同位素平衡分馏方程。采用“一步”和“两步”的附晶生长法在 5 0℃和 70℃合成文石 ,文石在溶液中经同质多象转变成次生方解石 ;结合文献数据 ,获得 0～ 70℃范围内的方解石 水体系稳态氧同位素分馏方程。     

On the Direction and Magnitude of Oxygen Isotope Fractionation Between Calcite and Aragonite at Thermodynamic Equilibrium

Oxygen isotope fractionation factors between calcium carbonates and water have been applied to ancient marine geochemistry principally for the purpose of geothermometry. The problem was encountered, however, with respect to the direction and magnitude of oxygen isotope fractionation between calcite and aragonite at thermodynamic equilibrium. This basically involves sound understanding of both thermodynamics and kinetics of oxygen isotope fractionation between inorganically precipitated carbonate and water at low temperatures. Thus the crucial issues are to acknowledge the processes of chemical reaction and isotopic exchange during precipitation of CaCO₃ minerals in solution, the kinetic mechanism of isotope equilibrium or disequilibrium, the effect of polymorphic transition from metastable aragonite to stable calcite under hydrous or anhydrous conditions, and the presence or absence of isotope salt effect on oxygen isotope exchange between carbonate and water in response to the hydrous or anhydrous conditions at thermodynamic equilibrium. Because good agreements exist in carbonate–water oxygen isotope fractionation factors between theoretical calculations and experimental determinations, it is encouraging to applying the thermodynamic and kinetic data to isotopic paleothermometry and geochemical tracing.     

Comment on the studies of oxygen isotope fractionation between calcium carbonates and water at low temperatures by Zhou and Zheng (2003; 2005)

Experimental and theoretical aspects of oxygen isotope fractionation in the system calcite-water at low temperatures were critically examined. Contrary to the claim made by Zhou and Zheng [Zhou G.-T., and Zheng Y.-F. (2003) An experimental study of oxygen isotope fractionation between inorganically precipitated aragonite and water at low temperatures. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta67, 387-399], there is excellent agreement between fractionation factors that were experimentally determined by means of slow, inorganic precipitation of calcite from solutions and those obtained largely from theoretical, statistical-mechanical calculations of the reduced partition function ratios. This agreement strongly suggests that calcite was precipitated from a solution very close to isotopic equilibrium. However, recently Zhou and Zheng [Zhou G.-T., and Zheng Y.-F. (2005) Effect of polymorphic transition on oxygen isotope fractionation between aragonite, calcite and water: a low-temperature experimental study. Am. Miner.90, 1121-1130] presented, without any explanation, conclusions on these major aspects that contradict the previous statements of Zhou and Zheng (2003). The apparent discrepancy in calcite-water oxygen isotope fractionation between experimental and theoretical studies discussed by Zhou and Zheng (2003) originates from the “mineral-water interaction” term in the modified increment method, which was developed by one of the authors (Y.-F. Zheng). We call for evidence for the theoretical nature of the modified increment method, which has never been presented in any of Zheng’s papers. Without such evidence, great caution must be exercised in using fractionation factors derived from the modified increment method.     

Response to the Comment by J. Horita and R.N. Clayton on “The studies of oxygen isotope fractionation between calcium carbonates and water at low temperatures”

The apparent inconsistency in calcite-water fractionation does occur between the arithmetic combination of Zhou and Zheng [Zhou G.-T., and Zheng Y.-F. (2003) An experimental study of oxygen isotope fractionation between inorganically precipitated aragonite and water at low temperatures. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta67, 387-399] and the experimental determination of Zhou and Zheng [Zhou G.-T., and Zheng Y.-F. (2005) Effect of polymorphic transition on oxygen isotope fractionation between aragonite, calcite and water: a low-temperature experimental study. Am. Mineral90, 1121-1130]. To resolve this issue is to acknowledge whether or not the isotope salt effect of dissolved minerals would occur on oxygen isotope exchange between water and the minerals of interest. The question is whether or not a term of mineral-water interaction should be taken into account when calculating mineral-water 10³ln α factors by an arithmetic combination between theoretical 10³ln β factors for mineral and water, respectively. The hydrothermal experiments of Hu and Clayton [Hu G.-X., and Clayton R.N. (2003) Oxygen isotope salt effects at high pressure and high temperature, and the calibration of oxygen isotope geothermometers. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta67, 3227-3246] demonstrate the absence of isotope salt effect on the oxygen isotope fractionation between calcite and water, and this abnormal behavior reasonably explains the so-called inconsistency in the calcite-water fractionations of Zhou and Zheng (2003, 2005). We argue that the mineral-water correction is still necessary for calculation of fractionations in mineral-water systems. New experimental data for oxygen isotope fractionations involving dolomite and cerussite are consistent with the calculations of Zheng [Zheng Y.-F. (1999a) Oxygen isotope fractionation in carbonate and sulfate minerals. Geochem. J.33, 109-126], but also shed light on the assumptions used in modifying the increment method. We argue that the modified increment method has developed into a theoretical mean of predictive power for calculation of oxygen isotope fractionation factors for crystalline minerals of geochemical interest.     

Experimental study of the aragonite to calcite transition in aqueous solution

The experimental replacement of aragonite by calcite was studied under hydrothermal conditions at temperatures between 160 and 200 °C using single inorganic aragonite crystals as a starting material. The initial saturation state and the total [Ca²⁺]:[CO₃²⁻] ratio of the experimental solutions was found to have a determining effect on the amount and abundance of calcite overgrowths as well as the extent of replacement observed within the crystals. The replacement process was accompanied by progressive formation of cracks and pores within the calcite, which led to extended fracturing of the initial aragonite. The overall shape and morphology of the parent aragonite crystal were preserved. The replaced regions were identified with scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy.Experiments using carbonate solutions prepared with water enriched in ¹⁸O (97%) were also performed in order to trace the course of this replacement process. The incorporation of the heavier oxygen isotope in the carbonate molecule within the calcite replacements was monitored with Raman spectroscopy. The heterogeneous distribution of ¹⁸O in the reaction products required a separate study of the kinetics of isotopic equilibration within the fluid to obtain a better understanding of the ¹⁸O distribution in the calcite replacement. An activation energy of 109 kJ/mol was calculated for the exchange of oxygen isotopes between [C¹⁶O₃²⁻]_aq and [H₂¹⁸O] and the time for oxygen isotope exchange in the fluid at 200 °C was estimated at ∼0.9 s. Given the exchange rate, analyses of the run products imply that the oxygen isotope composition in the calcite product is partly inherited from the oxygen isotope composition of the aragonite parent during the replacement process and is dependent on access of the fluid to the reaction interface rather than equilibration time. The aragonite to calcite fluid-mediated transformation is described by a coupled dissolution-reprecipitation mechanism, where aragonite dissolution is coupled to the precipitation of calcite at an inwardly moving reaction interface.     

Oxygen isotope salt effects at high pressure and high temperature and the calibration of oxygen isotope geothermometers

The influence of NaCl, CaCl₂, and dissolved minerals on the oxygen isotope fractionation in mineral-water systems at high pressure and high temperature was studied experimentally. The salt effects of NaCl (up to 37 molal) and 5-molal CaCl₂ on the oxygen isotope fractionation between quartz and water and between calcite and water were measured at 5 and 15 kbar at temperatures from 300 to 750°C. CaCl₂ has a larger influence than NaCl on the isotopic fractionation between quartz and water. Although NaCl systematically changes the isotopic fractionation between quartz and water, it has no influence on the isotopic fractionation between calcite and water. This difference in the apparent oxygen isotope salt effects of NaCl must relate to the use of different minerals as reference phases. The term oxygen isotope salt effect is expanded here to encompass the effects of dissolved minerals on the fractionations between minerals and aqueous fluids. The oxygen isotope salt effects of dissolved quartz, calcite, and phlogopite at 15 kbar and 750°C were measured in the three-phase systems quartz-calcite-water and phlogopite-calcite-water. Under these conditions, the oxygen isotope salt effects of the three dissolved minerals range from ∼0.7 to 2.1‰. In both three-phase hydrothermal systems, the equilibrium fractionation factors between the pairs of minerals are the same as those obtained by anhydrous direct exchange between each pair of minerals, proving that the use of carbonate as exchange medium provides correct isotopic fractionations for a mineral pair.When the oxygen isotope salt effects of two minerals are different, the use of water as an indirect exchange medium will give erroneous fractionations between the two minerals. The isotope salt effect of a dissolved mineral is also the main reason for the observation that the experimentally calibrated oxygen isotope fractionations between a mineral and water are systematically 1.5 to 2‰ more positive than the results of theoretical calculations. Dissolved minerals greatly affect the isotopic fractionation in mineral-water systems at high pressure and high temperature. If the presence of a solute changes the solubility of a mineral, the real oxygen isotope salt effect of the solute at high pressure and high temperature cannot be correctly derived by using the mineral as reference phase.     

Calcium isotope fractionation in calcite and aragonite

Calcium isotope fractionation was measured on skeletal aragonite and calcite from different marine biota and on inorganic calcite. Precipitation temperatures ranged from 0 to 28°C. Calcium isotope fractionation shows a temperature dependence in accordance with previous observations: 1000 · ln(α_cc) = −1.4 + 0.021 · T (°C) for calcite and 1000 · ln(α_ar) = −1.9 + 0.017 · T (°C) for aragonite. Within uncertainty the temperature slopes are identical for the two polymorphs. However, at all temperatures calcium isotopes are more fractionated in aragonite than in calcite. The offset in δ^44/40Ca is about 0.6‰. The underlying mechanism for this offset may be related to the different coordination numbers and bond strengths of the calcium ions in calcite and aragonite crystals, or to different Ca reaction behavior at the solid-liquid interface. Recently, the observed temperature dependence of the Ca isotope fractionation was explained quantitatively by the temperature control on precipitation rates of calcium carbonates in an experimental setting (Lemarchand et al., 2004). We show that this mechanism can in principle also be applied to CaCO₃ precipitation in natural environments in normal marine settings. Following this model, Ca isotope fractionation in marine Ca carbonates is primarily controlled by precipitation rates. On the other hand the larger Ca isotope fractionation of aragonite compared to calcite can not be explained by different precipitation rates. The rate control model of Ca isotope fractionation predicts a strong dependence of the Ca isotopic composition of carbonates on ambient CO₃²⁻ concentration. While this model is in general accordance with our observations in marine carbonates, cultured specimens of the planktic foraminifer Orbulina universa show no dependence of Ca-isotope fractionation on the ambient CO₃²⁻ concentration. The latter observation implies that the carbonate chemistry in the calcifying vesicles of the foraminifer is independent from the ambient carbonate ion concentration of the surrounding water.     

An explanation of the effect of seawater carbonate concentration on foraminiferal oxygen isotopes

Stable oxygen isotope ratios of foraminiferal calcite are widely used in paleoceanography to provide a chronology of temperature changes during ocean history. It was recently demonstrated that the stable oxygen isotope ratios in planktonic foraminifera are affected by changes of the seawater chemistry carbonate system: the δ¹⁸O of the foraminiferal calcite decreases with increasing CO₃²⁻ concentration or pH. This paper provides a simple explanation for seawater chemistry dependent stable oxygen isotope variations in the planktonic foraminifera Orbulina universa which is derived from oxygen isotope partitioning during inorganic precipitation. The oxygen isotope fractionation between water and the dissolved carbonate species S = [H₂CO₃] + [HCO₃⁻] + [CO₃²⁻] decreases with increasing pH. Provided that calcium carbonate is formed from a mixture of the carbonate species in proportion to their relative contribution to S, the oxygen isotopic composition of CaCO₃ also decreases with increasing pH. The slope of shell δ¹⁸O vs. [CO₃²⁻] of Orbulina universa observed in culture experiments is −0.0022‰ (μmol kg⁻¹)⁻¹ (Spero et al., 1997), whereas the slope derived from inorganic precipitation is −0.0024‰ (μmol kg⁻¹)⁻. The theory also provides an explanation of the nonequilibrium fractionation effects in synthetic carbonates described by Kim and O’Neil (1997) which can be understood in terms of equilibrium fractionation at different pH. The results presented here emphasize that the oxygen isotope fractionation between calcium carbonate and water does not only depend on the temperature but also on the pH of the solution from which it is formed.