Sources of radiogenic helium in a clay till aquitard and its use to evaluate the timing of geologic events

Concentrations of dissolved gases (He, Ne, Ar and N₂) were measured in pore waters collected from a Pleistocene (0-80 m depth) and Cretaceous (80-156 m depth) aged, clay-rich, aquitard system using both a conventional copper-tube method and in situ diffusion samplers. Both methods yielded similar results. He data revealed a well-defined increase in concentration with depth, from 1.7 × 10⁻⁸ cm³ He STP g⁻¹ water near the water table (at 2.3 m below ground surface) to 6.9 × 10⁻⁶ cm³ He STP g⁻¹ water at ∼80 m below ground surface (B.G.) The concentration at depth greatly exceeded values for atmospheric solubility at in situ temperatures and could not be attributed to steady-state production from α-decay of U and Th within the aquitard system. Trends in He isotope ratios and concentrations suggest accumulation as a result of both release of residual ⁴He from within the Pleistocene clay-rich till (ca. 87%) and an ascending radiogenic helium flux from underlying Cretaceous-age sediments (ca. 13%). One-dimensional transport modeling of the He data suggests that between 15 ka and 25 ka were required to produce the observed profile. This time frame agrees with studies utilizing isotope tracers (i.e., D/H and ¹⁴C-DIC) to estimate the timing of deposition for the till at this site. Our results demonstrate the utility of using helium, a nonreactive tracer, for delineating hydrogeologic processes in slow permeability geologic strata, and also support the contention that thick clay-rich surficial aquitards can provide long-term containment of contaminants, including hazardous wastes.     

Constraints on the loss of matrix-sited helium during vacuum crushing of mafic phenocrysts

Vacuum crushing is an efficient technique to selectively release the mantle-derived helium component trapped within olivine and pyroxene phenocrysts. However, contrary to previous assumptions, recent studies have shown that this method may liberate significant matrix-sited cosmogenic ³He (³He_c) or radiogenic ⁴He (⁴He^∗). Because this loss may bias both the determination of magmatic ³He/⁴He ratios and the accuracy of ³He_c measurements, it is essential to understand what mechanism is responsible and under what conditions matrix helium loss is manifest. To address this question, olivines and pyroxenes with various amounts of matrix-sited ³He (from 10⁷ to 10¹¹ at. g⁻¹) were crushed in air or in vacuum using several crushing devices. Sample temperature was controlled during each crushing experiment, and ranged from 25 to 325 °C. The resulting powders were then sieved to obtain several homogeneous grain fractions ranging between <10 and >300 μm. The ³He_c concentrations measured in each fraction clearly show that significant ³He_c loss (>20%) affects only the finest fraction (<10 μm) and, importantly, only under hot conditions (here T ?300 °C). Even the smallest fractions (<10 μm) quantitatively retain matrix-sited ³He_c when crushed under cold conditions (T ?25 °C), regardless of the duration and energy of crushing. These results invalidate the model previously proposed by (Yokochi R., Marty B., Pik R. and Burnard P. (2005) High ³He/⁴He ratios in peridotite xenoliths from SW Japan revisited: evidence for cosmogenic ³He released by vacuum crushing. Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst.6, doi:10.1029/2004GC000836) that involved spallation tracks and implied that the magnitude of loss was mainly controlled by the grain size. Moreover, new diffusion experiments were carried out to constrain the diffusivity of matrix-sited helium in crushed olivines. When used to model diffusive ³He_c loss as a function of grain size during crushing, these new data predict the observed release fairly well. Therefore, we conclude that temperature-enhanced volume diffusion is one of the main mechanisms controlling the release of ³He_c during crushing. For future applications, special attention should thus be paid to control the grain size, the crushing duration, and the temperature of the sample.     

Equilibrium helium partitioning in the rock-water system: New prospects for dating ancient groundwater

The estimation of the mobility of ancient groundwater provides clues to a number of fundamental and applied problems. The U(Th)-He system is a promising tool for dating ancient waters. This study focused on the recently proposed method of the reconstruction of helium concentration in groundwater. The method is based on equilibrium in the mineral-water system which allows us to avoid direct sampling of water from boreholes. Some minerals contain excess helium migrating from the ambient groundwater into the internal helium-accessible volume (HAV) of grains. For this study, quartz was sampled from the sandstones of the 1000-m-thick Permian-Carboniferous sedimentary sequence of the Molasse Basin in northern Switzerland. The HAV of the quartz concentrate was determined via helium saturation of samples under controlled conditions and subsequent helium analysis as 0.066 ± 0.037% of the bulk sample volume (hereafter, mean values for the sequence are given). The measurement of helium concentration in initial samples allowed us to determine the partial pressure of helium in the gas phase of HAV as 0.47 ± 0.16 atm; the concentration of helium in the pore water was calculated as the product of pressure and the Henry solubility constant corresponding to the conditions of natural rock occurrence: 0.0036 ± 0.0016 cm³ STP (He)/cm³ (H₂O). This estimate based on mineral-water equilibrium is in good agreement with the results of direct measurements if helium content in water from the two aquifers of the Permian-Carboniferous sequence of the Molasse Basin, where helium concentrations were found to be 0.0045 and 0.0016 cm³ STP (He)/cm³ (H₂O). The obtained results validated the method. A necessary prerequisite for its application is the equilibrium of helium concentrations in the water-HAV system. The investigation of helium mobility in quartz grains (through the measurement of helium release rates from the grains under isothermal heating at different temperatures) allowed us to estimate the time of equilibration as approximately 103 yr, which is much shorter than the helium residence time in the Permian-Carboniferous sequence of the basin (more than 10⁷ yr). Using quartz grains as detectors of helium concentration in pore waters, it was shown that the waters of the whole sequence are stagnant, and the sequence is appropriate for the disposal of high-level radioactive wastes.     

Granite is an Effective Helium Source Rock: Insights from the Helium Generation and Release Characteristics in Granites from the North Qinling Orogen,China

Global helium(He) shortage is a challenging problem; however, the types of helium source rock and the mechanisms of He generation and release therein remain still poorly understood. In this study, in order to evaluate the potential of granite as an effective helium source rock, we collected granitic samples from the North Qinling Orogen, Central China, in the south of the helium-rich Weihe Basin. The helium generation and release behaviors in granite were studied through analysis of U and Th concentrations, EMPA images, and He and Ar concentrations and isotopic ratios extracted by crushing and stepwise heating. The results indicate that Ar has a better retention and a lower mobility than He. 3 He/4 He ratios released by crushing and stepwise heating are 0.016–0.056 RA and 0.003–0.572 RA, respectively, where RA is the atmospheric 3 He/4 He of 1.4×10-6, reflecting a crustal and radiogenic source. Helium concentrations extracted by the two ways are 0.13–0.95 ucm3 STP/g and 7.82–115.62 ucm3 STP/g, respectively, suggesting that matrix-sited He accounts for more than 98% of total helium preserved in granite. In addition, the total generated He amounts in granites are calculated based on the measured U and Th concentrations in granitic samples. Dividing the preserved He quantities by the generated He amounts, it turned out that less than 10% of He produced since the formation of the granite is preserved in the rock over geological time, suggesting that more than 90% generated He can be transferred to the Weihe Basin. Temperature and fracture are the two critical factors controlling He release. Based on the relationship between He diffusivity of granites and temperature and the He closure temperatures of a variety of U-and Th-rich minerals(27–250°C), we estimate that He can be partially released out of granite at the depths 400 m and totally released at the depths 7800 m. Fractures provide effective transfer of free He from deep source rocks to shallow reservoirs. Finally, a model on granite as an effective helium source rock is established. We suggest exploring He resources in hydrocarbon basins with granitic basement(or adjacent to granite bodies), high geothermal field, and young active fractures.     

Importance of mantle derived fluids during granite associated hydrothermal circulation: He and Ar isotopes of ore minerals from Panasqueira

Helium trapped in arsenopyrite and wolframite from the Panasqueira hydrothermal deposit in central Portugal is overwhelmingly—≈ 75%—derived from the mantle. This is surprising as the W-Cu(Ag)-Sn vein deposits are spatially and temporally associated with an S-type granite. It is difficult to reconcile ³He/⁴He ratios > 5Ra (where Ra is the atmospheric ³He/⁴He ratio) with a granite produced by crustal anatexis, therefore it seems likely that mantle derived fluids unrelated to the granite were the source of the magmatic component in the ore fluids.The mantle appears to transport ³He and heat to the surface in relatively constant proportions (³He/Q = 0.1-1 x10⁻¹² cm³ STP J⁻¹). However, the ³He/heat ratios in the Panasqueira fluids (1-10 x10⁻¹² cm³ STP J⁻¹, calculated using the ³He/³⁶Ar ratio) are considerably higher. Therefore, it does not seem likely that gradual cooling of the pluton supplied heat to the hydrothermal system (as this would result in low ³He/Q ratios). Therefore, both He and heat in this collision related, granite-associated hydrothermal deposit were supplied from the mantle.     

Helium and carbon isotope systematics of natural gases from Taranaki Basin,New Zealand

The chemical and isotopic compositions of gases from hydrocarbon systems of the Taranaki Basin of New Zealand (both offshore and onshore) show wide variation. The most striking difference between the western and south-eastern groups of gases is the helium content and its isotopic ratio. In the west, the Maui gas is over an order of magnitude higher in helium concentration (up to 190 μmol mol⁻¹) and its ³He/⁴He ratio of 3.8 R_A (where R_A=the air ³He/⁴He ratio of 1.4×10⁻⁶) is approximately half that of upper mantle helium issuing from volcanic vents of the Taupo Volcanic Zone. In the SE, the Kupe South and most Kapuni natural gases have only a minor mantle helium input of 0.03–0.32 R_A and low total helium concentrations of 10–19 μmol mol⁻¹. The ³He/C ratio (where C represents the total carbon in the gas phase) of the samples measured including those from a recent study of on-shore Taranaki natural gases are generally high at locations where the surface heat flow is high. The ³He/CO₂ ratio of the Maui gases of 5 to 18×10⁻⁹ is higher than the MORB value of 0.2 to 0.5×10⁻⁹, a feature found in other continental basins such as the Pannonian and Vienna basins and in many high helium wells in the USA. Extrapolation to zero CO₂/³He and CO₂/C indicates δ¹³C(CO₂) values between −7 and −5‰ close to that of MORB CO₂. The remaining CO₂ would appear to be mostly organically-influenced with δ¹³C(CO₂) c.−15‰. There is some evidence of marine carbonate CO₂ in the gases from the New Plymouth field. The radiogenic ⁴He content (He_rad) varies across the Taranaki Basin with the highest He_rad/C ratios occurring in the Maui field. δ¹³C(CH₄) becomes more enriched in ¹³C with increasing He_rad and hydrocarbon maturity. Because ³He/⁴He is related to the ratio of mantle to radiogenic crustal helium and ³He/C is virtually constant in the Maui field, there is a correlation between R_C/R_A (where R_C=air-corrected ³He/⁴He) and δ¹³C(CH₄) in the Maui and New Plymouth fields, with the more negative δ¹³C(CH₄) values corresponding to high ³He/⁴He ratios. A correlation between ³He/⁴He and δ¹³C(CO₂) was also observed in the Maui field. In the fields adjacent to Mt Taranaki (2518 m andesitic volcano), correlations of some parameters, particularly CO₂/CH₄, C₂H₆/CH₄ and δ¹³C(CH₄), are present with increasing depth of the gas reservoir and with distance from the volcanic cone.     

Atmospheric helium isotope ratio: Possible temporal and spatial variations

The atmospheric ³He/⁴He ratio has been considered to be constant on a global scale, because the residence time of helium is significantly longer than the mixing time in the atmosphere. However, this ratio may be decreasing with time owing to the anthropogenic release of crustal helium from oil and natural gas wells, although this observation has been disputed. Here, we present the ³He/⁴He ratios of old air trapped in historical slags in Japan and of modern surface air samples collected at various sites around the world, measured with a newly developed analytical system. In air helium extracted from metallurgical slag found at refineries in operation between AD 1603 and 1907 in Japan, we determined a mean ³He/⁴He ratio of (5106 ± 108) × 10^-5 R_HESJ (where R_HESJ is the ³He/⁴He ratio of the Helium Standard of Japan), which is consistent with the previously reported value of (5077 ± 59) × 10^-5 R_HESJ for historical slags in France and United Arab Emirates and about 4% higher than that of average modern air, (4901 ± 4) × 10^-5 R_HESJ. This result implies that the air ³He/⁴He ratio has decreased with time as expected by anthropogenic causes. Our modern surface air samples revealed that the ³He/⁴He ratio increases from north to south at a rate of (0.16 ± 0.08) × 10^-5 R_HESJ/degree of latitude, suggesting that the low ³He/⁴He ratio originates in high-latitude regions of the northern hemisphere, which is consistent with the fact that most fossil fuel is extracted and consumed in the northern hemisphere.     

Release of mantle and crustal helium from a fault following an inland earthquake

Static stress changes caused by megathrust slip of the 2011 M_w 9.0 Tohoku-Oki earthquake considerably affected the seismicity patterns in inland areas, resulting in the occurrence of numerous earthquakes along several active faults in Japan. On June 30, 2011, the M_j 5.4 central Nagano earthquake occurred at a shallow depth of 5 km, indicating the reactivation of the Gofukuji fault in Central Japan. This study was undertaken to elucidate spatial and temporal changes of ³He/⁴He ratios around a source region before and after an inland earthquake using both existing and new and helium isotope data from hot spring and drinking water wells. Gas samples near the Gofukuji fault and its surrounding active faults are characterized by an increase in postseismic ³He/⁴He ratios. In contrast, the postseismic ratios decreased by up to about 30% away from the mainshock epicenter. Episodic faulting could either release stored crustal (radiogenic) helium from host rocks, or enhance the transfer of mantle volatiles through permeable fault zones, such that subsequent fluid flow near to the source region could then explain the spatio-temporal variations in ³He/⁴He ratios.     

Resolving Sediment Subduction and Crustal Contamination in the Lesser Antilles Island Arc: a Combined He-O-Sr Isotope Approach

We report an extensive helium isotope survey of basaltic toandesitic lavas from the Lesser Antilles island arc—anarc system with well-documented evidence of crustal contamination.Given the sensitivity of helium isotopes as a tracer of theeffects of crustal additions, our aim is to evaluate the relationshipof ³He/⁴He ratios to other indices of contamination processessuch as oxygen and strontium isotopes. To this end, we havecarried out 53 ³He/⁴He analyses on separated minerals (olivinesand pyroxenes) from throughout the arc, which we compare withwhole-rock strontium and phenocryst oxygen isotope measurements.We show that the three isotopic tracers show coherent patternsthroughout the Lesser Antilles, indicating a regional controlon crustal contamination. The southern section of the arc (Grenadato Martinique) shows clear evidence for major crustal contaminationin all three isotopic systems with results for our samples inthe range ³He/⁴He_(olivine) 3·6–7·6R_A,     

Noble gas isotope sites and mobility in mafic rocks and olivine

Important He and Ar isotope studies on rocks and minerals, relevant to the geochemical and degassing history of the Earth, are often hampered by insufficient knowledge of the retentivity of different types of sites in minerals (inclusions, matrix) for these species, and of the relative importance of radiogenic and trapped components and possible differences in their behavior.To identify sites of noble gas isotopes, shed some light on their origin and estimate their residence times in olivine, which is a mineral considered as a good natural sampler, we investigated 2.5 Ga old ultramafic rocks from the Monche Pluton (Kola Peninsula, north-east part of the Baltic shield) using several extraction methods: crushing, fusion, slow step-wise and rapid incremental heating. Previous studies indicated that these rocks contain mainly trapped noble gases; however, to constrain the possible contribution of in-situ generated radiogenic helium, U and Th concentrations were also measured in the samples.The helium release pattern obtained by relatively fast (∼1.5 h long) incremental heating of olivine includes three distinct release peaks for helium: a low-temperature (600 °C) l-peak, a middle (800-1100 °C) m-peak and a high-temperature (∼1400 °C) h-peak. However, helium extraction from a powdered aliquot of the same olivine yields mainly the middle m-peak indicating that gases released in the l- and h-peaks occupy gas-liquid inclusions opened in the course of crushing and grinding. Moreover, slow step-wise heating (14 h) also results in a broad He release peak but in two well-separated l- and h-peaks of non-atmospheric ⁴⁰Ar∗. This feature implies helium migration from l- and h-vesicles into the matrix m during long step-wise heating experiments, whereas less movable Ar remains in inclusions at even relatively high almost-magmatic temperatures.Using a simple phenomenological model envisaging the three different residence sites for noble gases, both fast- and slow-heating release patterns for ⁴⁰Ar∗ and He, including those for the crushed sample, could be reproduced. The diffusion parameters inferred from the modeling of olivine (D₀ = 2.4 × 10⁻² cm² s⁻¹ and Ea = 133 kJ mol⁻¹) are similar to those published by Shuster et al. (2003) and Blard et al. (2008). The high matrix/fluid solubility coefficient for helium, H_He ∼ 0.01, exceeds estimates reported by Trull and Kurz (1993); however, the product D_He(T) × H_He, the “permeability” (that governs He migration in vesicles + matrix composed materials), is very similar to their value. Extrapolation to the ambient temperature (0 °C) gives long and similar helium residence times in l- and h-vesicles, exceeding 10¹⁰ yrs, and even longer time scales ∼10¹⁶ yrs are obtained for the helium residence in the matrix. Therefore, at low temperatures our samples may be considered as excellent samplers of trapped volatile species, including helium.     

Contribution of logging tools to understanding helium porewater data across the Mesozoic sequence of the East of the Paris Basin

Helium concentration measurements made on water and rock samples collected at various depths along a 2000 m depth borehole drilled in the eastern part of the Paris basin and reaching the Triassic conglomerates were used to establish a vertical profile of dissolved helium concentration throughout the entire Mesozoic sedimentary pile. Wireline logging tools were used to measure rock density, porosity and U and Th contents every 15 cm in the various formations. Samples from the deepest Muschelkalk and Buntsandstein show a very good agreement between measured and calculated ⁴He porewater contents. Shallower levels show lower and lower ⁴He concentrations compared to calculated values when going upwards. The data set obtained by wireline logging measurements was used as inputs for numerical simulations of 1D He production/diffusion throughout the 2000 m profile. Several assumptions regarding the transport properties in the various sedimentary layers were tested and all were found to yield fairly good agreement between modeled and measured He concentrations. There is no need to invoke either a transient regime or a deep crustal He flux in this “quiet” (seismically inactive) part of the Paris basin. Moreover, the modeling results suggest that the Keuper massive halite level associated with the upper Muschelkalk pre-evaporitic series efficiently isolates the overlying layers from any input from deeper formations in the Meuse/Haute Marne area.     

Identification of He sources and estimation of He ages in groundwater of the North China Plain

Dissolved helium concentrations and ³He/⁴He ratios were measured for 18 groundwater samples collected from the Quaternary confined aquifers in the North China Plain (NCP). The dissolved helium concentrations ranged from 1 × 10⁻⁷ to 1 × 10⁻⁶ cm³STP·g⁻¹ in the 14 samples from the central plain, but was approximately two orders of magnitude higher, between 6 × 10⁻⁶ and 9 × 10⁻⁵ cm³STP·g⁻¹, in 4 samples from the coastal plain. Based on these concentrations and the corresponding ³He/⁴He ratios varying from 0.09 to 0.55 R_a (where R_a is the ³He/⁴He ratio of air), the dissolved helium in groundwater in the central plain was identified to be primarily a mixture of atmospheric helium with radiogenic helium and a representative radiogenic helium ratio was estimated to be 0.035 R_a. Despite the high fraction of terrigenic ⁴He in the samples from the coastal plain, their ³He/⁴He ratios were found to be significantly above this radiogenic value, ranging between 0.20 and 0.37 R_a, indicating the presence of a mantle-derived He component in this area. About 2–4% mantle helium was estimated to be present in the groundwater of the coastal plain, which probably is associated with the regional Cangdong fault and tectonic activities. Based on the radiogenic He component, ⁴He ages of the groundwater in the central plain were calculated by assuming either pure in situ production or an external helium flux J₀ of 4.7 × 10⁻⁸ cm³STPcm⁻²a⁻¹. The estimated ⁴He ages fall between 9.5 and 51.4 ka and are comparable to the ¹⁴C ages, suggesting that the results of ⁴He dating are reasonable and can be an effective tool to estimate groundwater residence times under suitable conditions.     

^3He／^4He Ratios and Heat Flow in the Continental Rift—valley,Eastern China

Heat flow and the origin of helium in natural gases from fault basins of the continental rift-valley in eastern China are discussed in terms of helium isotope geochemistry.³He/⁴He ratios in natural gases from the rift-valley range from 2.23 × 10⁻⁷ to 7.21 × 10⁻⁶, which are directly proportional to the concentration of helium and ΣNHC/ΣHC ratio in natural gases. Geological and isotope geochemical data suggest that helium in natural gases consists predominantly of crustal radio-genic and upper mantle-derived helium. In a simple mixing pattern between crustal He and mantle-derived He, mantle-derived helium in natural gases would account for 10–60%. Calculated values for heat flow (Q) range from 59.7 to 82.4mWm⁻², of which about 60 percent in the rift-valley is derived from the upper mantle. Natural helium reservoirs would be found in the areas where the upper mantle uplifted greatly and heat flow is large in the continental rift-valley. The project is financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China.     

Helium and neon isotope geochemistry of some ground waters from the Canadian Precambrian Shield

Ground waters in a Precambrian granitic batholith at the Whiteshell Nuclear Research Establishment (WNRE) in Pinawa, Manitoba contain between 5 × 10^?5 and 10^?1 cc STP/g_H2O of radiogenic helium-4 but have relatively uniform ³He/⁴He ratios of between 0.6 × 10^?8 and 2.3 × 10³. The highest helium samples also contain radiogenic ^21,22Ne produced by (α,n) or (n,α) reactions with other isotopes. As much as 1.8 × 10^?9ccSTP/g_H2O of excess ²¹Ne and 3.8 × 10^?9ccSTP/gH₂O of excess ²²Ne have been measured. Helium and ²¹Ne ages of these ground waters, calculated on the basis of known crustal production rates of ⁴He and ²¹Ne, are unreasonably high (up to 2 × 10⁵ years) and incompatible with the ¹⁴C ages and other isotopic and hydrogeologic data. Uranium enrichment in the flow porosity of the granite may dominate ⁴He and ^21,22Ne production in this granite and mask the contributions from more typical U and Th concentrations in the rock matrix.At the Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories in Ontario helium concentrations in ground waters in a Precambrian monzonitic gneiss range from 1.5 × 10^?7 to 8.7 × 10^?4ccSTP/g_H2O with the ³He/⁴He ratios ranging from 2.0 × 10^?3 to 1.5 × 10^?7. The highest helium concentrations may be attributable to the presence of a thick uraniferous pegmatite vein and yield helium ages more than two orders of magnitude higher than the ¹⁴C ages. Application of He age dating equations to ground waters from Precambrian granitic rocks requires knowledge of the nature of uranium and thorium enrichment in the subsurface in order to select appropriate values for porosity and uranium and thorium concentration in the rock.     

Isotopic geochemistry of the groundwater system in arid and semiarid areas and its significance: a case study in Shiyang River basin, Gansu province, northwest China

 Shiyang River basin, located in the eastern part of Hexi Corridor in the middle Gansu province, NW China, is a typical arid to semiarid area. Within its drainage distance of merely 300 km, the groundwater system shows a gradual hydrochemical zonation from the upper reach to the lower reach, which is composed of hydrocarbonate, sulfate to chloride zones respectively. Variation in the saturation index (SI) of calcite and dolomite shows that, under arid to semiarid conditions, the drastic evaporation causes the groundwater quality to deteriorate in the lower reach. Isotopic compositions of H, O and He in the groundwater show that the groundwater recharge sources are mainly from meteoric water. δ³He–³He/²⁰Ne coordinates could clearly distinguish the water sources and mixing among them. In the Caiqi region, there is apparent mixing of the crevice water containing excess ⁴He with the overlying groundwater, which also implies a much lower circulation rate of the groundwater. Fairly high ³He/⁴He ratios of the groundwaters collected from the adjacent area of hidden faults along Qilian Mountains show the eminent input of mantle-derived helium, indicating that these faults not only cut the crust deeply, but are currently active. Received: 11 February 2000 · Accepted: 23 May 2000     

Diffuse gas emissions at the Ukinrek Maars,Alaska: Implications for magmatic degassing and volcanic monitoring

Diffuse CO₂ efflux near the Ukinrek Maars, two small volcanic craters that formed in 1977 in a remote part of the Alaska Peninsula, was investigated using accumulation chamber measurements. High CO₂ efflux, in many places exceeding 1000 g m⁻² d⁻¹, was found in conspicuous zones of plant damage or kill that cover 30,000–50,000 m² in area. Total diffuse CO₂ emission was estimated at 21–44 t d⁻¹. Gas vents 3-km away at The Gas Rocks produce 0.5 t d⁻¹ of CO₂ that probably derives from the Ukinrek Maars basalt based on similar δ¹³C values (∼−6‰), ³He/⁴He ratios (5.9–7.2 R_A), and CO₂/³He ratios (1–2 × 10⁹) in the two areas. A lower ³He/⁴He ratio (2.7 R_A) and much higher CO₂/³He ratio (9 × 10¹⁰) in gas from the nearest arc-front volcanic center (Mount Peulik/Ugashik) provide a useful comparison. The large diffuse CO₂ emission at Ukinrek has important implications for magmatic degassing, subsurface gas transport, and local toxicity hazards. Gas–water–rock interactions play a major role in the location, magnitude and chemistry of the emissions.     

Isotopic-geochemical peculiarities of gases in mud volcanoes of eastern Georgia

Isotopic-geochemical study revealed the presence of mantle He (³He/⁴He up to 223 × 10^?8) in gases from mud volcanoes of eastern Georgia. This fact confirms that the Middle Kura basin fill encloses an intrusive body previously distinguished from geophysical data. Wide variations in the carbon isotopic composition δ¹³C of CH₄ and CO₂ and the chemical composition of gas and water at a temporally constant ³He/⁴He ratio indicate their relation with crustal processes. Unusual direct correlations of the ³He/⁴He ratio with the contents of He and CH₄ and the ⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar ratio can be explained by the generation of gas in the Cenozoic sequence of the Middle Kura basin.     

Dynamics of the Galapagos hotspot from helium isotope geochemistry

We have measured the isotopes of He, Sr, Nd and Pb in a number of lava flows from the Galapagos Archipelago; the main goal is to use magmatic helium as a tracer of plume influence in the western volcanoes. Because the Galapagos lava flows are so well preserved, it is also possible to measure surface exposure ages using in situ cosmic-ray-produced ³He. The exposure ages range from <0.1 to 580 Ka, are consistent with other chronological constraints, and provide the first direct dating of these lava flows. The new age data demonstrate the utility of the technique in this important age range and show that the western Galapagos volcanoes have been erupting distinct compositions simultaneously for the last ∼10 Ka. The magmatic ³He/⁴He ratios range from 6.9 to 27 times atmospheric (R_a), with the highest values found on the islands of Isabela (16.8 R_a for Vulcan Sierra Negra) and Fernandina (23 to 27 R_a). Values from Santa Cruz are close to typical mid-ocean ridge basalt values (MORB, of ∼9 R_a) and Pinta has a ³He/⁴He ratio lower than MORB (6.9 R_a). These data confirm that the plume is centered beneath Fernandina which is the most active volcano in the archipelago and is at the leading edge of plate motion. The data are consistent with previous isotopic studies, confirming extensive contributions from depleted asthenospheric or lithospheric mantle sources, especially to the central islands. The most striking aspect of the helium isotopic data is that the ³He/⁴He ratios decrease systematically in all directions from Fernandina. This spatial variability is assumed to reflect the contribution of the purest plume component to Fernandina magmatism, and shows that helium is a sensitive indicator of plume influence. The highest ³He/⁴He ratios are found in volcanoes with lowest Na₂O(8) and FeO(8), which may relate to source composition as well as degree and depth of melting. An excellent correlation is observed between ³He/⁴He and Nb/La, suggesting that the Galapagos plume source is characterized by high concentrations of Nb (and Ta). The major and trace element correlations demonstrate that helium is controlled by silicate melting and source variations rather than degassing and/or metasomatic processes. Although lavas with radiogenic isotopic compositions tend to have higher ³He/⁴He, the island-wide isotopic variability cannot be explained by simple two components mixing alone. The preferred model to explain the isotopic data includes a heterogeneous plume, centered at Fernandina, which undergoes polybaric melting, and spatial divergence and mixing with asthenospheric material at shallower depths. The unique regional pattern of the helium isotopic data suggests that helium is extracted more efficiently than other elements during the early stages of melting in the ascending plume.     

Estimation of heat flow in Tuva from data on helium isotopes in thermal mineral springs

Concentrations of helium isotopes were measured in gas and water samples from 28 thermal mineral springs in Tuva and adjacent regions of Buryatia and Gorny Altai. It is shown that fluids from 16 springs are rich in mantle helium (4–35%). With regard to the air contamination of the samples, the corrected ratios of helium isotopes (R_cor = ³He/⁴He) in these springs vary from 5.3 × 10^–8 to 422 × 10^–8. Using these R_cor values, we estimated the heat flow; these estimates were then applied to calculate the deep-level temperatures and thickness of thermal lithosphere. According to these parameters, the Tuva region is divided into two parts. Eastern Tuva (from ~96° E to the boundary with Buryatia) is characterized by abnormal helium isotope ratios and heat flow indicating the intense heating of the Earth’s crust in eastern Tuva: At a depth of 50 km, a temperature reaches 1000–1200 °C, and the thickness of thermal lithosphere is reduced to 70–50 km. This testifies to a rift process west (probably, up to 96° E) of the Baikal Rift Zone. In western Tuva, the average heat flow is much lower, ~45–50 mW/m², which is commensurate with that in the Altai–Sayan folded area as a whole. The deep-level temperatures here are twice lower, and the lithosphere thickness increases to 150 km.     

赣南淘锡坑钨矿床He-Ar同位素地球化学研究

华南石英脉型黑钨矿的形成一直被认为是与地壳沉积物质重熔形成的S型花岗岩有关。然而,近年来对南岭中生代成岩成矿机制的研究发现,地幔组分可能参与了钨、锡成矿作用。本文对淘锡坑石英脉型钨多金属矿床与黑钨矿共生的黄铁矿和毒砂中流体包裹体的He、Ar同位素进行了研究。结果显示,上述矿物中流体包裹体的~3He/~4He值为0. 37～2. 11Ra(Ra为空气的~3He/~4He值,1Ra=1. 39×10~(-6)),介于地幔与地壳的~3He/~4He值之间;~(40)Ar/~(36)Ar值为309. 5～383. 6,平均335. 4,略高于大气的~(40)Ar/~(36)Ar比值(295. 5)。研究表明,成矿流体具有壳-幔两端元混合的特征。其中,地壳端元的流体为经过地下循环的低温饱和大气水,地幔端元的流体为矿区隐伏花岗岩体成岩过程中分异出的岩浆流体。结合前人研究成果,认为该矿床的形成与华南中生代燕山期发生的软流圈上涌、岩石圈减薄、地壳伸展等地球动力学作用有密切联系。这种动力学过程为地幔组分带来的热引起地壳沉积物质重熔形成钨多金属成矿花岗岩浆提供了条件。