Retrieval and interpretation of precipitation rates generated from the composition of the Merouane Chott ephemeral lake

Merouane Chott ephemeral lake is an ideal natural system for studying mineral dissolution and precipitation rates because (1) it undergoes annual cycles of filling and complete evaporation, and (2) it has a simple, well-defined hydrology. The major element concentrations of Merouane Chott lake waters have been measured weekly from January to June 2003. These concentrations are used together with estimates of the chott lake volume to calculate the temporal evolution of the total mass of these major elements. Dividing the first derivative of these masses with respect to time by the chott surface area yields precipitation rate estimates for halite, calcite, gypsum, and K–Mg salts during the complete evaporation of the lake. These rates are compared with the saturation indexes of these minerals to deduce the degree to which they are consistent with laboratory measured rates available in the literature.     

Geochemistry and Behavior of Trace Elements During the Complete Evaporation of the Merouane Chott Ephemeral Lake: Southeast Algeria

The Merouane Chott, located in arid southeastern Algeria, experiences annual cycles of filling from September through February followed by its complete evaporation from February through June. The concentration of 15 trace elements (Li, B, Ti; V, Cr, Mn, Co, Cu, Ni, Zn, As, Sr, Ba, Pb, Bi, and U) were measured in chott water samples collected from January through June 2003 during the complete evaporation of the lake. The corresponding concentrations of these trace elements in the major external inputs to this closed basin chott were also obtained. The trace metals show two distinct behaviors. Li, B, Cr, Co, and U tend to be conserved in the chott waters throughout its evaporation. Much of Cr, Co, and U originated from external sources. It is likely, therefore, that the concentration of these elements will increase in the chott waters in future years. In contrast, Ti, Sr, Ba, Zn, Ni, and Pb precipitate continuously during chott evaporation. Of these elements, most of the Sr, Ba, and Zn originated from outside the chott, and thus it is likely these elements will become increasingly concentrated in the chott bottom salts with time. V, As, and Cu exhibit intermediate behaviors. These contrasting behaviors are confirmed by analysis of chott bottom solids.     

Marine-like potash evaporite formation on a continental playa: case study from Chott el Djerid, southern Tunisia

An exceptional flood in January 1990 led to the formation of a large ephemeral lake on the Chott el Djerid, a salt playa in southern Tunisia. Repeated observations made during 1990 show that the ephemeral lake underwent four evolutionary stages: (1) initial flooding, (2) evaporative concentration of lake waters, (3) the movement of concentrated brine pools over the playa surface as a result of wind action, and (4) total desiccation of the lake by September 1990. During all four stages the brine chemistry of the lake was monitored. Water inflow into the Chott el Djerid basin was found to have a consistent Ca-SO₄-Cl-rich and HCO₃-CO₃-poor chemistry, reflecting the recycling of homogeneous assemblages of Cretaceous, Mio—Pliocene and Quaternary evaporites within the catchment. As the ephemeral lake shrank, these waters produced an Na-Mg-K-Cl-SO₄ brine which was similar to modern sea water. Mineral saturation data show that, during the desiccation of the lake, saturation with respect to both gypsum and halite was achieved and that the most concentrated brines were ultimately saturated with respect to potash phases. After the desiccation of the lake the main mineral phases found on the Chott included gypsum and halite. In addition, ephemeral deposits of carnallite (observed as carnallitite,3KMgCl_3·6H₂0 + NaCl) were found. This assemblage is that which would be expected to form if the waters had undergone salt norm evaporation at 1 bar pressure at 25°C (SNORM) in the evaporation model proposed by Jones and Bodine (1987). The nature of both the brine chemistry and evaporite mineralogy provides a new and rare example of marine-like potash-bearing evaporites being formed in a contemporary continental playa.     

Global maps of lake-level fluctuations since 30,000 yr B.P.

This paper presents selected world maps of lake-level fluctuations since 30,000 yr B.P. These are based on a literature survey of 141 lake basins with radiocarbon-dated chronologies. The resulting patterns are subcontinental in scale and show orderly variations in space and time. They reflect substantial changes in continental precipitation, evaporation, and runoff, which are due to glacial/interglacial fluctuations in the atmospheric and oceanic circulations. In the tropics, high lake levels are essentially an interglacial or interstadial phenomenon, although there are important exceptions. Since extensive lakes during the Holocene corresponded with relatively high sea-surface temperatures, and therefore presumably with high evaporation rates on land, they are interpreted as the result of higher precipitation. Tropical aridity culminated in most areas at, or just after, the glacial maximum, although the present day is also characterized by a below-average abundance of surface water. In extratropical regions the mapped patterns are more complex. They vary markedly with latitude and proximity to major ice sheets. In these areas, evidence is at present insufficient to evaluate the relative contributions of precipitation and temperature to the observed lake-level record.     

Geochemistry of Great Salt Lake,Utah I: Hydrochemistry since 1850

The hydrochemistry of Great Salt Lake, Utah, has been defined for the historic period, 1850 through 1982, from published data combined with new observations. The water balance depends largely on river inflow, atmospheric precipitation onto the lake surface and evaporation. Input of the major solutes can best be accounted for by mixing dilute calcium-bicarbonate type river waters with NaCl-dominated hydrothermal springs.Prior to 1930, lake concentrations fluctuated inversely with lake volume in response to small climatic variations. Since then, salt precipitation and dissolution have significantly modified lake brine compositions and have led to density stratification and the formation of brine pockets of differing composition. Brine mixing has become an important component of brine evolution. We have used calculated evaporation curves with mineral precipitation and dissolution to clarify these processes.Pore fluids represent important storage for solutes. Solute profiles can be modeled by simple one-dimensional diffusion calculations. Short-term historic variations in lake composition affect shallow pore fluids in the upper 2 metres of sediment.     

Quantifying climatic change through the last glacial–interglacial transition based on lake isotope palaeohydrology from central Turkey

Questions remain as to the nature of climatic change through the last glacial–interglacial transition in the eastern Mediterranean region, particularly the relative contribution of evaporation and precipitation to regional water balance. Here changes in oxygen isotope values through this time period from Eski Acıgöl, a crater lake in central Turkey, are investigated using hydrological and isotope mass balance models. These allow changes in evaporation and precipitation to be quantified and their relative importance evaluated. We show that it is the volumetric flux rate of water passing through the lake system and not the precipitation-to-evaporation ratio per se which controlled the stable isotope record in Eski Acıgöl. Early Holocene precipitation is shown to be much greater than that during both the latter part of the last glaciation and the present day. We test these calculated values against other records in the same region, firstly with other lake records in Anatolia, the Konya basin and Lake Van, and secondly with isotope-inferred palaeo-precipitation data from Soreq cave in Israel. This reveals a contrast between pre- and post-LGM precipitation values in Turkey (wetter and drier, respectively) and also suggests that during the last glacial–interglacial transition there was a more marked precipitation gradient than at present between northern/interior and southern/coastal parts of the eastern Mediterranean region.     

Monitoring of playa evaporites as seen with optical remote sensing sensors: case of Chott El Jerid,Tunisia, from 2003 to present

Chott El Jerid in the Zone of Chotts of Tunisia is one of the largest endorheic basins in the world. During the dry period, from May to August, it is generally covered by continental evaporites which result from the desiccation of the lake formed after a flooding event. This lake comprises runoff water from the surrounding relief and also water resurgence. In order to map and monitor these evaporitic surfaces (mineral composition and evolution in space and time), optical multisource, multispectral, and multidate satellite data have been used. Landsat 4–5 TM, Landsat 8 OLI, SPOT 6, and Landsat Surface Reflectance (LSR) constitute the main data set. The central part of the Chott, north and south of the road crossing the Chott over 70 km from Tozeur to Kebili, has been particularly studied, because it corresponds to the major evaporite accumulation zone. These evaporites precipitated as concentric layers (a relatively rare pattern), mainly north of the road, after several recent flooding events during the last 15 years. Winds can play a significant role in the development of the evaporite layers. Image interpretation associated with field data shows that after the final desiccation of the playa lake, the mineralogy of the salt crust comprised an assemblage dominated by halite south of the road and by gypsum north of the road. Halite and gypsum are the only minerals to be identified using satellite remote sensing data. Sulfates such as gypsum can be identified thanks to a drop in reflectance in the short-wave infrared (SWIR) range caused by vibrations of the SO₄ group. Gypsum crusts are more widely distributed than halite crusts. LSR data are particularly suitable for multitemporal comparison because they are calibrated and atmospherically corrected. The classical bull’s eye pattern characterizing evaporitic deposits (from carbonates along the rims to halite, gypsum, and finally potassium-magnesium minerals in the center of the basin) is deeply disturbed by the road crossing Chott El Jerid.     

Arsenic enrichment in lakes near the smelters at Sudbury,Ontario

Roughly 200 tonnes of arsenic are produced annually with the base metal ores at Sudbury about 125 tonnes of which are released to the ambient environment via the atmosphere. The dispersion of this highly toxic element in lakes around the smelters is described. The total As concentrations in unfiltered lake waters vary from 0.2 to 0.6 ug 1^?1. The suspended particulates in the water column (with As contents of 2–6 ug g^?1) play a major role in the flux of arsenic to the lake sediments. The present-day rates of As accumulation in the sediments are found to be 1.5–6.4 mg m^?2 yr^?1; these rates exceed those of precolonial times by factors of 5–47. The changes in the rates of As flux to the sediments are shown to parallel the history of Cu and Ni production in the district.     

Fractionation of the platinum-group elments and Re during crystallization of basalt in Kilauea Iki Lava Lake, Hawaii

Kilauea Iki lava lake formed during the 1959 summit eruption of Kilauea Volcano, then crystallized and differentiated over a period of 35 years. It offers an opportunity to evaluate the fractionation behavior of trace elements in a uniquely well-documented basaltic system. A suite of 14 core samples recovered from 1967 to 1981 has been analyzed for 5 platinum-group elements (PGE: Ir, Os, Ru, Pt, Pd), plus Re. These samples have MgO ranging from 2.4 to 26.9 wt.%, with temperatures prior to quench ranging from 1140 °C to ambient (110 °C). Five eruption samples were also analyzed.Osmium and Ru concentrations vary by nearly four orders of magnitude (0.0006–1.40 ppb for Os and 0.0006–2.01 ppb for Ru) and are positively correlated with MgO content. These elements behaved compatibly during crystallization, mostly likely being concentrated in trace phases (alloy or sulfide) present in olivine phenocrysts or included chromite. Iridium also correlates positively with MgO, although less strongly than Os and Ru. The somewhat poorer correlation for Ir, compared with Os and Ru, may reflect variable loss of Ir as volatile IrF₆ in some of the most magnesian samples.Rhenium is negatively correlated with MgO, behaving as an incompatible trace element. Its behavior in the lava lake is complicated by apparent volatile loss of Re, as suggested by a decrease in Re concentration with time of quenching for lake samples vs. eruption samples. Platinum and Pd concentrations are negatively, albeit weakly, correlated with MgO, so these elements were modestly incompatible during crystallization of the major silicate phases. Palladium contents peaked before precipitation of immiscible sulfide liquid, however, and decline sharply in the most differentiated samples. In contrast, Pt appears to have been unaffected by sulfide precipitation. Microprobe data confirm that Pd entered the sulfide liquid before Re, and that Pt is not strongly chalcophile in this system. Occasional high Pt values in both eruption and lava lake samples suggest the presence of unevenly distributed, unidentified Pt-rich trace phases in some Kilauea Iki materials.Estimated mineral (olivine + chromite)/melt D values for Os, Ir, Ru and Pt for equilibrium crystallization for samples from ~ 7 to 27 wt.% MgO are 26, 8.2, 19 and 0.55, respectively. These Os, Ir and Ru estimates are somewhat higher than previous estimates for similar systems. If fractional crystallization is instead assumed, D values are much more similar.Results confirm many prior observations in other mafic systems that olivine (together with included phases) has a major effect on absolute and relative abundances of Re and the PGE. The relatively linear correlations between these elements and MgO potentially permit accurate estimation of the concentrations of these elements in the primary melts of comparable systems, especially in instances where the MgO content of the primary melt is well constrained.     

利用稳定同位素比率估计湖泊的蒸发

利用稳定同位素物质平衡方法可以估算湖泊的蒸发，方法的主要特点是不必测定入湖水量，只须测定其稳定同位素比率。文章根据青海湖实测的氧同位素资料和有关水文气象资料，并利用稳定素模型得出，青海湖多年平均蒸发量为８７７ｍｍ，这个值与同一时期９０４．６ｍｍ的实测蒸发量大致相当，不同水体中稳定同位素比的大小对湖蒸发量有不同程度的影响。降水和入湖泊水中的稳定同位素比率与蒸发量存在正比关系；湖泊水和蒸发水中的稳定同     

布隆湖水化学成分的形成机制

在对研究区地质及水文地质条件进行分析的基础上,根据对各类水样水质资料的分析,得出与补给水相比,布隆湖水中各组分含量普遍升高、TDS显著增大、水化学类型由HCO3.Cl型变为Cl.SO4.HCO3型、水质由良好的饮用水变为多种组分含量超标的不可饮水;认为布隆湖水的化学成分是在补给水化学成分的基础上,经过蒸发浓缩作用、溶解/沉淀及阳离子交替吸附作用而形成的。使用离子比值分析方法,估算出河水进入布隆湖后,蒸发比例高达71.43%,使各组分含量增大了约3.5倍;质量平衡模拟结果表明,形成湖水化学成分的主要化学作用是岩盐、石膏的溶解、方解石的沉淀以及CO2的逸出,此外还发生了少量的阳离子交替吸附作用。     

柴达木贝壳堤剖面元素地球化学与环境演变

通过对柴达木盆地察尔汗古湖贝壳堤沉积物中酸溶与残留(酸不溶)组分中常、微量元素及其元素对的分析,并结合酸溶与残留组分中常、微量元素相关性对比,讨论了贝壳堤剖面元素地球化学指标和沉积环境之间的关系,指出酸溶组分中的常量、微量元素及其元素对可以作为湖泊和古气候演化良好的代用指标;残留组分中的元素及元素对与原岩及其风化程度紧密相关,因此,酸溶组分与残留组分中的常量和微量元素在对于环境响应模式存在一定差异,应该将二者分开研究以避免对元素所携带环境信号解译的偏差。根据元素地球化学指标重建了43.5～22.4cal.kaB.P.(39.7～17.5kaB.P.¹⁴C年代)柴达木盆地察尔汗古湖高湖面期间古气候与环境演变过程:43.5～31.7kaB.P.期间酸溶组分中元素含量总体较低,残留组分中元素含量相对较高,且湿润度值((Fe₂O₃+Al₂O₃)/(MgO+CaO),或H)处于高值段,而Ca/Mg,Fe/Mn和Rb/Sr则处于低值段,指示了温暖湿润的气候环境,古湖泊水体增加;其中37.8～31.7kaB.P.期间酸溶组分中元素含量多出现最低值,残留组分中元素含量富集,H值较高,而Ca/Mg,Fe/Mn和Rb/Sr此段均值最小,表明此时为环境的最适宜期,此期间降雨充沛,湖泊处于高湖面;在31.7～22.4kaB.P.期间酸溶组分中元素含量普遍较高,残留组分中元素含量相对富集,且Ca/Mg,Fe/Mn和Rb/Sr处于高值段波动,H值处在低值段,指示气候环境恶化,降水逐渐减少,古湖泊水体萎缩;在约22.4kaB.P.气候快速恶化,形成石盐结晶,高湖面历史结束。柴达木盆地该期高湖面及其演化过程可与腾格里沙漠和额济纳盆地-巴丹吉林沙漠高湖面记录进行对比,揭示了大范围气候变化的历史。     

The solubility control of rare earth elements in natural terrestrial waters and the significance of PO 4 3− and CO 3 2− in limiting dissolved rare earth concentrations: A review of recent information

Rare earth element (REE) concentrations in alkaline lakes, circumneutral pH groundwaters, and an acidic freshwater lake were determined along with the free carbonate, free phosphate, and free sulfate ion concentrations. These parameters were used to evaluate the saturation state of these waters with respect to REE phosphate and carbonate precipitates. Our activity product estimates indicate that the alkaline lake waters and groundwaters are approximately saturated with respect to the REE phosphate precipitates but are significantly undersaturated with respect to REE carbonate and sulfate precipitates. On the other hand, the acidic lake waters are undersaturated with respect to REE sulfate, carbonate, and phosphate precipitates. Although carbonate complexes tend to dominate the speciation of the REEs in neutral and alkaline waters, our results indicate that REE phosphate precipitates are also important in controlling REE behavior. More specifically, elevated carbonate ion concentrations in neutral to alkaline natural waters tend to enhance dissolved REE concentrations through the formation of stable REE-carbonate complexes whereas phosphate ions tend to lead to the removal of the REEs from solution in these waters by the formation of REE-phosphate salts. Removal of REEs by precipitation as phosphate phases in the acid lake (pH=3.6) is inconsequential, however, due to extremely low [PO ₄ ^3– ] _F concentrations (i.e., 10^–23 mol/kg).     

Hydrological and nitrogen distributed catchment modeling to assess the impact of future climate change at Trichonis Lake, western Greece

According to regional climatic models, climate change may affect Mediterranean lakes significantly in terms of water availability and quality. Trichonis Lake catchment covers a semi-mountainous area of 403 km² including the largest Greek lake by volume (2.6?×?10⁹?m³), located in western Greece. The impact of climate change on the hydrology and water quality of the lake, in terms of lake water level and nutrient concentrations, has been assessed. Water balance estimates and geographical information system tools were then used to set up a physically based, spatially distributed model. The calibrated model was simulated for two future scenarios specified by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: A2 (pessimistic) and B2 (more optimistic), which involved temperature/evaporation/evapotranspiration increase and small precipitation decrease. The model was calibrated efficiently for the 1990–1992 period. The two basic climatic scenarios illustrated that the responses of the lake water levels will show a decrease of 24.2 and 12 cm, respectively, and an increase of total nitrogen concentrations by 3.4 and 10%, in relation to the early 1990s values. These important findings suggest that mitigation and optimum management plans should be developed to eliminate the aforementioned climate change impacts and further research should follow.     

Estimating the contribution of glacial meltwater to Ranwu Lake,a proglacial lake in SE Tibet,using observation data and stable isotopic analyses

It is important for both current monitoring and paleoenvironmental research conducted on proglacial lakes and their adjacent glaciers to clarify the hydrological processes operating on these lakes. However, in remote regions with limited accessibility it may be difficult to study hydrological processes by direct monitoring. In this study, we use measurements of stable isotopic compositions to trace the multiple water sources contributing to Ranwu Lake, a proglacial lake in south-eastern Tibet. Using stable isotopic data from precipitation, inflowing rivers and the lake water, a water and isotope mass balance modelling method was used to calculate the ratio of evaporation to input. Subsequently, using hydrological and climatic data for the outflow, the largest inflow and precipitation, other hydrological elements of the lake water balance were also calculated. The results demonstrate that the ratio of evaporation to inflow is as low as 0.009, the lowest value observed for the Tibetan Plateau, indicating that Ranwu Lake is a through-flow lake with a very short retention time. Glacial meltwater accounts for at least 55% of total runoff, the highest value observed for the Tibetan Plateau, indicating that the sediments of Ranwu Lake may have considerable potential for reconstructing variations in the activity of the local glaciers. Finally, we note that it may be inappropriate in this glacier-fed lake to use the intersection of the local meteoric water line with the lake water line for determining the isotopic composition of the input water, and this possibility must be carefully considered when stable isotope mass modelling is used in proglacial lakes.     

末次间冰期以来新疆巴里坤湖蒸发盐的沉积环境记录

沉积物岩芯的碳酸盐、石膏等蒸发盐含量和矿物组成的证据显示了新疆巴里坤湖末次间冰期以来一直是一个水位变化频繁的浅水盐湖,有时甚至为间歇式的湖泊,约在34000aB.P.前后巴里坤湖沉积相发生了显著的变化,34000aB.P.之前为泥坪-湖滨相沉积,34000aB．P．之后为成湖相沉积。尽管我们对巴里坤湖34000aB．P．前后的沉积相变难以理解,但是长期处于浅水状态的巴里坤湖沉积物中蒸发盐的含量和矿物组成仍然与气候变化密切相关。在泥坪-湖滨相形成的碳酸盐中白云石相对的增加是地表强烈蒸发的结果。以石膏为主的蒸发盐含量增加是温度和降水增加所致,而其含量减少则是冰川前进致使补给水矿化度降低造成的。这使我们获得了该区古气候变化并不服从于冰期与雨期同步模式的信息。     

Groundwater recharge to a sedimentary aquifer in the topographically closed Uley South Basin, South Australia

The chloride mass balance (CMB) and water-table fluctuation (WTF) analysis methods were used to estimate recharge rates in the Uley South Basin, South Australia. Groundwater hydrochemistry and isotope data were used to infer the nature of recharge pathways and evapotranspiration processes. These data indicate that some combination of two plausible processes is occurring: (1) complete evaporation of rainfall occurs, and the precipitated salts are washed down and redissolved when recharge occurs, and (2) transpiration dominates over evaporation. It is surmised that sinkholes predominantly serve to by-pass the shallow soil zone and redistribute infiltration into the deeper unsaturated zone, rather than transferring rainfall directly to the water table. Chlorofluorocarbon measurements were used in approximating recharge origins to account for coastal proximity effects in the CMB method and pumping seasonality was accounted for in the WTF-based recharge estimates. Best estimates of spatially and temporally averaged recharge rates for the basin are 52?C63 and 47?C129?mm/year from the CMB and WTF analyses, respectively. Adaptations of both the CMB and WTF analyses to account for nuances of the system were necessary, demonstrating the need for careful application of these methods.     

Geochemical Evolution of Great Salt Lake, Utah, USA

The Great Salt Lake (GSL) of Utah, USA, is the largest saline lake in North America, and its brines are some of the most concentrated anywhere in the world. The lake occupies a closed basin system whose chemistry reflects solute inputs from the weathering of a diverse suite of rocks in its drainage basin. GSL is the remnant of a much larger lacustrine body, Lake Bonneville, and it has a long history of carbonate deposition. Inflow to the lake is from three major rivers that drain mountain ranges to the east and empty into the southern arm of the lake, from precipitation directly on the lake, and from minor groundwater inflow. Outflow is by evaporation. The greatest solute inputs are from calcium bicarbonate river waters mixed with sodium chloride-type springs and groundwaters. Prior to 1930 the lake concentration inversely tracked lake volume, which reflected climatic variation in the drainage, but since then salt precipitation and re-solution, primarily halite and mirabilite, have periodically modified lake-brine chemistry through density stratification and compositional differentiation. In addition, construction of a railway causeway has restricted circulation, nearly isolating the northern from the southern part of the lake, leading to halite precipitation in the north. These and other conditions have created brine differentiation, mixing, and fractional precipitation of salts as major factors in solute evolution. Pore fluids and diagenetic reactions have been identified as important sources and especially sinks for CaCO₃, Mg, and K in the lake, depending on the concentration gradient and clays.     

西藏搭格架地热区天然水的水化学组成与稳定碳同位素特征

为探究青藏高原搭格架地热区地热水、湖水、河水、冰雪融水等天然水体的水化学组成及物质来源控制因子,于2014年8月对该地区进行了考察和取样。利用紫外-可见光分光光度计和ICP-OES测定了水样中各阴、阳离子含量,利用Gas Bench连接同位素质谱仪测定了水样中溶解无机碳（DIC）同位素比值。结果表明,地热水中总溶解固体（TDS）含量为977.13~1 279.50 mg/L,阳离子以K+和Na+为主,阴离子以HCO3-和Cl-为主,湖水的TDS含量为77.81~810.94 mg/L,阳离子以Na+和Ca2+为主,阴离子以HCO3-(CO32-)和SO42-为主,地热水和湖水的水化学类型为HCO3-Na型;河水和冰雪融水的各离子含量较低,水化学类型为HCO3-Ca型;地热水的DIC浓度范围为9.2~15.4 mmol/L,δ13CDIC值为-9.09‰~-0.95‰;湖水的DIC浓度为1.1~9.7 mmol/L,δ13CDIC值为-8.84‰~-0.27‰。根据水化学Gibbs分布模式图判断出区域水化学特征主要受硅酸盐岩风化控制,以钠长石和钾长石风化为主,但是地热水的水化学组分受到硅酸盐岩和蒸发盐岩共同控制。通过碳同位素比值分析对区域主要风化过程中CO2的来源示踪表明,湖区周围的硅酸盐风化其碳源主要为土壤CO2,热泉区硅酸盐水解其碳源为地球深部CO2输入。      

古盐湖卤水温度对钾盐沉积的控制作用探讨

古盐湖卤水的温度对钾盐沉积的控制作用的定量研究是钾盐成矿机理分析的重点和难点。本文分析和测试陕北盐盆奥陶系马家沟组、四川盆地三叠系嘉陵江组、云南兰坪-思茅盆地白垩系及老挝沙空那空盆地白垩系等八个含盐系的石盐岩中的流体包裹体,并利用均一温度计算了古盐湖的蒸发速率。若以老挝白垩纪时盐湖的蒸发速率为标准值100,陕北奥陶纪、四川三叠纪、云南白垩纪的蒸发速率标准值分别为54、68和90,而目前在老挝和云南白垩系都找到了一定规模的钾盐矿,因此高温(气温及水温)是盐湖成钾的有利条件,在卤水演化成钾的过程中可以起到重要的"催化"作用。