Noble gases dissolved in groundwater in a volcanic aquifer: Helium isotopes in the Kumamoto Plain

This study Investigates a tracing method using dissolved noble gases to survey the groundwater flow in a large groundwater basin. The tracing method is based on measuring the concentrations of noble gases and the ratio of helium isotopes in groundwater samples. Since it is very difficult to detect trace amounts of noble gases and helium with high accuracy in a 15-ml groundwater sample, dissolved gases were extracted and purified, then a high-resolution mass spectrometer was used for measurement and comparison with standard samples. We used this method with samples from a confined aquifer formed by the deposition of pyroclastic flow in the Kumamoto Plain on the west side of Mt. Aso in central Kyushu, Japan. The groundwater basin under the plain is divided into four small basins, based on the helium concentrations and isotope ratios, with two major groundwater flows. One flow is buried by the Aso pyroclastic flow along the old Kase River; the other is along the Tsuboi River Valley. These two groundwater flows were identified from the different helium isotope-ratios. The helium component from the deep mantle is mixed into the groundwater under the Kumamoto Plain. Finally, data on the concentrations and ratios of³He to⁴He in groundwater samples were used to determine the location of faults in the volcanic aquifer.     

Helium isotopes in ferromanganese crusts from the central Pacific Ocean

Helium isotopes have been measured in samples of two ferromanganese crusts (VA13/2 and CD29-2) from the central Pacific Ocean. With the exception of the deepest part of crust CD29-2 the data can be explained by a mixture of implanted solar- and galactic cosmic ray-produced (GCR) He, in extraterrestrial grains, and radiogenic He in wind-borne continental dust grains. ⁴He concentrations are invariant and require retention of less than 12% of the in situ He produced since crust formation. Loss has occurred by recoil and diffusion. High ⁴He in CD29-2 samples older than 42 Ma are correlated with phosphatization and can be explained by retention of up to 12% of the in situ-produced ⁴He. ³He/⁴He of VA13/2 samples varies from 18.5 to 1852 R_a due almost entirely to variation in the extraterrestrial He contribution. The highest ³He/⁴He is comparable to the highest values measured in interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) and micrometeorites (MMs). Helium concentrations are orders of magnitude lower than in oceanic sediments reflecting the low trapping efficiency for in-falling terrestrial and extraterrestrial grains of Fe-Mn crusts. The extraterrestrial ³He concentration of the crusts rules out whole, undegassed 4-40 μm diameter IDPs as the host. Instead it requires that the extraterrestrial He inventory is carried by numerous particles with significantly lower He concentrations, and occasional high concentration GCR-He-bearing particles.     

Helium and argon isotopes in rocks and minerals of the Lovozero Alkaline Massif

The contents and ratios of helium and argon isotopes were studied in rocks of the Lovozero Massif and related rare-metal (loparite) deposits. The gases were extracted by melting (from whole-rock and mineral samples) and crushing (mainly from fluid inclusions) methods. The wide variations in the He and Ar isotopic compositions can be explained by the fact that the trapped fluid represents a mixture of variable proportions of mantle, crustal, and atmogenic components and radiogenic in situ produced gas. The obtained gas-geochemical data reflect the complex evolution of the considered ore-magmatic system and the similar trends of melt evolution and complementary fluid phase in the magmatic chamber, in general, in three-rock (urtite-foyaite-lujavrite) units and, in each individual layers, the relative closeness of the system during magmatic crystallization and initial epimagmatic processes. It was also found that the earliest magmatic mineral was loparite and that ore units and mineralization could be partially transformed during a comparatively late postmagmatic stage. An important role of paleometeoric waters in the low-temperature mineral formation was shown.     

Helium and argon isotopes in lower crustal xenoliths from the belomorian mobile belt

The isotopic systematics of noble gases (He and Ar) were studied in Neoarchean and Paleoproterozoic lower crustal xenoliths from the Belomorian mobile belt. The xenolith suite is dominated by garnet granulites (Grt + Cpx + Pl ± Opx ± Qtz ± Kfs ± Phl ± Hbl) and two-pyroxene or garnet pyroxenites (Cpx + Pl ± Grt ± Opx ± Hbl ± Qtz). The xenoliths and the host Devonian ultramafic lamprophyres forming diatremes and explosion dikes contain fluid with similar He and Ar isotopic compositions. It was found that the fluid was trapped by the rocks and xenolith minerals approximately simultaneously with the formation of the lamprophyres. This conclusion is based on the identical K-Ar ages of the majority of xenoliths and ultramafic lamprophyres. When the xenoliths were transported toward the surface by high-temperature ultrabasic melts, the noble gases occurring in them were partly (Ar) or completely (He) lost. The melts were contaminated by meteoric waters during their emplacement in the upper crust, which resulted in that the Ar isotopic composition of lamprophyres approached the composition of atmospheric Ar. The fluid phase that was liberated during melt crystallization severely affected the xenoliths, diminishing the difference between the isotope compositions of He and Ar in the xenoliths and ultramafic lamprophyres. The He isotope composition includes an admixture of mantle ³He, which is suggested by the high measured ³He concentrations, exceeding the calculated values, and high ³He/³⁶Ar ratios in the xenoliths and their host lamprophyres. The fraction of the mantle component in the fluid trapped by the xenoliths was estimated as ～20%.     

Deep structure of the western part of the Central Caucasus from geophysical data

The paper presents new data on seismotectonic studies along the Adygei profile in the western part of the Central Caucasus and provides an overview of deep geophysical studies of the Greater Caucasus. For the first time, comprehensive geophysical characteristics of a crustal section of the Greater Caucasus across an orogenic structure (along the Adygei profile) have been obtained with a uniform step of observations. Based on factual data obtained by such methods as converted waves from distant earthquakes, magnetotelluric sounding, and gravimagnetic surveys, sinking of the marginal part of the southern microplate into the mantle is verified. It is noted that the contemporary Alpine structure of the Greater Caucasus formed during gentle thrusting of the Earth’s crust (Scythian Plate) from the north on the consolidated crust of the southern microplate.     

Helium and argon isotopes in spinel lherzolite from Damaping, northern Zhangjiakou

Spinel lherzolite found in Damaping, northern Zhangjiakou, Hebei Province occurs as xenoliths in the Hannuoba basalts that consist of alkali basalt and tholeiite. Spinel lherzolites contain 50%–70% olivine (Fo: 90%), 10%–20% clinopyroxene (predominantly Di), 10%–30% orthopyroxene (predominantly En), and less than 5% spinel.³He/⁴He and⁴⁰Ar/³⁸Ar ratios in the olivine are 7.56×10⁻⁷ and 299.1, respectively.³He/⁴He and⁴⁰Ar/³⁸Ar ratios in the orthopyroxene (enstatite) are 9.1×10⁻⁷ and 307, respectively. Olivine grains are fractured irregularly, and pyroxene grains characterized by well developed cleavages, which would have resulted from explosion during the rapid eruption of lava from the deep interior to the surface. The lower isotope ratios of helium and argon may indicate that the spinel lherzolite xenoliths were derived from the strongly degassed and depleted upper mantle, and that the mantle is inhomogeneous.³He losses to some extent might affect the helium isotope ratios. The project was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 49273185).     

Diagenetic Mineral Formation in Biogenic Structures (Paleogene,Northeastern Caucasus)

Rare biogenic structures, after which diagenetic minerals are developed, are described from Paleogene rocks of southern Dagestan. It is shown that these minerals form tabular mica-like and colloform aggregates confined to fucoids. In terms of composition, they represent the glauconite group minerals. Tabular and colloform minerals are compared with globular glauconite occurring in host sandy rocks. It is demonstrated that the globular variety is characterized by higher K and Fe contents, whereas the tabular variety has a higher SiO₂ content. The probable mechanism of the formation of tabular and colloform minerals in biogenic structures is discussed.     

Hydrocarbon gases and helium isotopes in the Paleozoic alkaline-ultramafic massifs of the Kola Peninsula

Hydrocarbon gases (HCG) were studied in fluid inclusions from seven alkaline-ultramafic massifs of the Kola Peninsula. All the massifs (Sebljavr, Kovdor, Lesnaya Varaka, Ozernaya Varaka, Vuorijarvi, Turii Peninsula, and Salma) are central-type cratonic intrusions with ages of 360–410 Ma. Previous He isotopic investigations showed that the massifs have high ³He/⁴He ratios (up to 3.3 × 10^?5), which are usually higher than the upper mantle value. Similar to He, HCG were extracted by crushing. The HCG were analyzed for CH₄ (main component), C₂H₆, and C₃H₈. A comparison of HCG component contents with He isotope abundances and ratios showed that the HCG were probably not supplied by mantle-derived melts. Their formation during a postmagmatic stage at relatively low temperatures is our favored model.     

The contemporary state of stress and strain at the western pericline of the Greater Caucasus

We collected materials on geological indicators of paleostresses at the western pericline of the Greater Caucasus mega-anticlinorium and within the large transverse flexure-fault zone (Anapa and Dzhiginka zones) limiting this mega-anticlinorium. Based on the data, we reconstructed local stress states in different tectonic zones. The reconstructed local stresses showed a considerable variation of the orientations axes of principal stress near the two zones. In a site adjacent to the flexure-fault zone and located near the western pericline of the Greater Caucasus mega-anticlinorium, the detachment systems of northeastern (NE–SW) strike are determined. Additionally, field structural studies proved elongation in the northwestern (NW–SE) direction. This was also verified by the reconstruction of orientations of minimum compression stress axes (maximum deviatory tension) implemented by cataclastic analysis of structural–kinematic information on the movements of the fault planes (tectonic cracks and minor ruptures). We found a well-expressed multistage regime of the northwestern (NW–SE) tension within the limits of the Semisam anticline. Tension deformations (along the axis of the main folded structure) are manifested in structures of different scales; the values of relative elongation are defined for some of them. At the western pericline of the Greater Caucasus mega-anticlinorium, in the Miocene deposits, a north–south (NNW) compression regime with steep inclinations of axes of maximum compression stresses was identified. In the boundary zone between the Northwestern Caucasus and transverse Kerch–Taman trough, an alteration of the orientations of main axes of normal stresses was found. These changes led to the replacement of horizontal-compression and horizontalshear (with a NE-oriented compression) settings, which are predominant in the Caucasus, with settings of horizontal tension (with steep NNW-oriented compression axes).     

Helium isotopes on the Macdonald seamount (Austral chain): constraints on the origin of the superswell

We present new helium isotope data from the Macdonald seamount (Austral chain). The helium isotopic ratio varies from ⁴He/³He=45 000 (R/Ra=16.0) to 200 170 (R/Ra=3.6). The helium content is between 1.5×10^?8 and 1.1×10^?5 ccSTP/g. These helium results show clearly the presence of primitive mantle material in the source of the Austral chain. Macdonald has the lowest ⁴He/³He ratio among the Polynesian submarine volcanoes, except Hawaii (Loihi). The simplest explanation for the primitive helium signature is the presence under Macdonald of a mantle plume that derives either from the 670 km or 2900 km boundary layers, or, eventually, from the top of a large mantle dome resulting from a stratified two-layer convection. This plume contains less-degassed material with low ⁴He/³He ratio. To cite this article: M. Moreira, C. Allègre, C. R. Geoscience 336 (2004).     

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.     

电感耦合等离子体质谱法测定含气天然矿泉水中的铬

含气天然矿泉水含有高浓度的HCO;和CO2,其中元素Cr的浓度在电感耦合等离子体光谱(ICP-AES)的检出限附近甚至更低,应用电感耦合等离子体质谱(ICP-MS)测定又容易形成多原子离子40 Ar12C,对52 Cr的测定形成干扰,致使ICP-MS不能直接准确测定含气天然矿泉水中的Cr元素.本文对水样进行前处理,加热煮沸2 min后放置至室温,加入硝酸调节水样酸度为5％,促进HCO3-与H+反应生成大量的CO2迅速释放出来,消除了40Ar12C对52Cr产生的质谱干扰,实现了ICP-MS能够直接准确分析Cr的含量,方法检出限为0.23 ng/mL,加标回收率为92.3％～93.7％,相对标准偏差(RSD)小于10％.此方法简单实用,精确度和准确度能够满足天然矿泉水分析测试的要求,还可同时测定此批前处理水样中的锌铜砷镉铅等痕量元素.     

松辽盆地庆深气田异常氢同位素组成成因研究

对松辽盆地徐家围子断陷庆深气田天然气组分、碳氢同位素和稀有气体同位素的分析表明,天然气以烷烃气为主,烷烃气碳同位素组成随着碳数增加呈变轻趋势,且δ13C1＆gt;-30‰, R/Ra一般大于1.0,δ13CCO2值介于-16.5‰~-5.1‰之间;氢同位素组成δD1=-205‰~-197‰,平均值为-203‰,δD2=-247‰~-160‰,平均值为-195‰,δD3=-237‰~-126‰,平均值为-163‰,且存在氢同位素组成倒转现象,即δD1＆gt;δD2＆lt;δD3。根据对庆深气田天然气不同地球化学特征分析,认为该气田烷烃气中重烃主要为有机成因,而 CH4有相当无机成因混入。庆深气田烷烃气氢同位素组成具有 CH4变化小,而重烃（δD2,δD3）变化大的特点。根据与朝阳沟地区天然气烷烃气氢同位素组成对比分析,认为 CH4主要表现为无机成因,而重烃气（δD2,δD3）主要为有机成因,且无机成因CH4氢同位素组成重于有机成因CH4。     

Helix SFT惰性气体质谱仪分析矿物包裹体中氦同位素组成

氦同位素组成在地球大气圈、地壳及地幔各圈层具有不同的元素丰度和同位素比值,变化范围达数个量级,而且氦作为惰性气体中质量最轻的元素,其稳定性好,迁移能力强,因此将其同位素作为地质过程和物质来源的天然示踪剂倍受重视,被广泛地应用于地学研究的各个领域,而能否对于岩石样品中氦同位素组成进行准确分析,成为了氦同位素作为示踪剂的一个关键问题。本文利用Helix SFT惰性气体质谱仪对岩石矿物包裹体内的氦同位素组成测定方法进行了研究,建立了样品的压碎及气体提取纯化装置,通过进一定体积的标准氦气,计算出仪器的灵敏度,在此基础上对整套系统的静态本底进行了测定。对仪器本身的离子倍增器的接收效率进行了探讨,使其可以准确对3 He进行准确测定。以大气中氦同位素为标准并进行多次测定,获得了氦同位素测量的质量歧视校正因子。通过对实际样品黄铁矿包裹体中氦同位素组成的测定,获得了稳定性很好的同位素比值数据,其精度可达99%。通过建立合理的压碎装置,利用该仪器对氦同位素组成分析的独特优势,可以满足对于岩石矿物包裹体中氦同位素组成的精确测定,满足其在地质科研领域的应用研究需要,进而对基础科学研究起到支撑作用。     

Helium isotopes in geothermal systems: Iceland,The Geysers,Raft River and Steamboat Springs

Helium isotope ratios have been measured in geothermal fluids from Iceland, The Geysers, Raft River, Steamboat Springs and Hawaii. These ratios have been interpreted in terms of the processes which supply He in distinct isotopic ratios (i.e. magmatic He, ~10 R_a; atmospheric He, R_a; and crustal He, ~0.1 R_a) and in terms of the processes which can alter the isotopic ratio (hydrologic mixing, U-Th series alpha production and weathering release of crustal He, magma aging and tritiugenic addition of ³He). Using this interpretational scheme, Iceland is found to be an area of hot-spot magmatic He implying an active volcanic source although the data are suggestive of high-temperature weathering release of crustal He incorporated in the geothermal fluids. By comparison to fumarolic gases from Hawaii and Juan De Fuca and Cayman Trench basaltic glass samples, The Geysers contains MOR type magmatic He again implying an active volcanic source possibly a “leaky” transform related to the San Andreas Fault System. Raft River contains only crustal He indicating no active volcanic sources. Steamboat Springs He isotope ratios are distinctly less than typical plate margin volcanics but must still have a magmatic source. A preliminary assessment of the cause for this low ratio is made assuming an “aging” magma source.