Numerical models for diagenesis and the Neogene Sr isotopic evolution of seawater from DSDP Site 590B

A numerical model for the diagenetic exchange of Sr between carbonates and their pore fluids during sedimentation and compaction has been developed. The model has been applied to data from DSDP Site 590B in order to assess the accuracy with which the Sr isotope record in the carbonate sediment reflects that of seawater. The most important process affecting the Sr in the solid carbonate is exchange with the pore fluid due to solution-reprecipitation, but the concentration or isotopic composition of Sr in the solid itself gives little or no information as to the magnitude of this exchange. The key to determining the rate of exchange is the pore fluid, where the variations of Sr²⁺ and⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr with depth are very sensitive indicators. The logical structure of applying the model to data from DSDP 590B is to find by successive iteration an ocean history (i.e., the initial⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and Sr concentration of each increment of carbonate deposited) and a rate of Sr exchange between pore water and solid carbonate such that the model matches the present Sr concentration and⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr of both pore water and solid carbonate.Once all the data are matched, the model provides an estimate of the rate of Sr exchange due to solution-reprecipitation and the evolution of⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr in seawater over the past 20 million years. For DSDP 590B we find that solution-reprecipitation decreases rapidly with depth, from a near surface value of about 10% per million years to about 1% per million years below 200 m. This rate of exchange of Sr results in the carbonates of DSDP 590B preserving an accurate record of the Sr isotopic evolution of the ocean over the past 5 million years, but for ages greater than 5 million years the⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of the carbonate is systematically displaced from that of the seawater in which it was deposited. The maximum difference is of order 5 × 10⁻⁵.     

Strontium and its isotopic composition in interstitial waters of marine carbonate sediments

The concentrations and isotopic compositions of strontium in interstitial waters from several DSDP sites, where sediments consist chiefly of carbonate oozes and chalks, are used as indicators of carbonate diagenesis by reference to a recently-produced curve showing detailed variations in the⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of seawater with time. Carbonate sediments of the Walvis Ridge show increases in interstitial Sr²⁺ concentrations in the upper carbonate-ooze sections with the highest concentrations near the ooze-chalk boundary where maximum rates of carbonate recrystallization occur. Below this, in situ production of Sr²⁺ diminishes and there is a diffusive flux of Sr to an underlying sink, presumably volcanogenic sediments or basalts, leading to Sr isotopic disequilibrium between carbonates and interstitial waters. In some other sites, however, there is no apparent Sr sink at depth and isotopic equilibrium is retained. Overall, diffusive smoothing of profiles exerts an important control on the⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios, although lower ratios than contemporaneous seawater values in the carbonate oozes often correlate with zones of Mg²⁺ loss and reflect a combination of a flux of Sr²⁺ from the zone of maximum recrystallization rates together with a contribution from the in situ alteration of volcanic matter.     

The osmium isotopic composition of organic-rich marine sediments

The osmium (Os) concentration and¹⁸⁷Os/¹⁸⁶Os ratio of several recent, marine, organic-rich sediment samples from three widely separated sites have been measured. Os concentrations range from 0.095 to 0.212 ppb and¹⁸⁷Os/¹⁸⁶Os ratios range from 8.2 to 8.9. The calculated fraction of hydrogenous Os exceeds 78% in all samples. Thus, the¹⁸⁷Os/¹⁸⁶Os ratio of these samples reflects Os isotopic composition of seawater. The small range in measured¹⁸⁷Os/¹⁸⁶Os ratio indicates that the Os isotopic composition at these sites is fairly homogeneous. The large magnitude of the Os burial flux at these sites indicates the Os burial in association with organic-rich sediments is an important sink in the marine cycle of Os. These data also suggest that ancient organic-rich sediments may provide a record of past variations in the Os isotopic composition of seawater.     

Helium isotope geochemistry of mid-ocean ridge basalts from the South Atlantic

We report new helium isotope results for 49 basalt glass samples from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between 1°N and 47°S.³He/⁴He in South Atlantic mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORB) varies between 6.5 and 9.0 R_A (R_A is the atmospheric ratio of1.39 × 10⁻⁶), encompassing the range of previously reported values for MORB erupted away from high³He/⁴He hotspots such as Iceland. He, Sr and Pb isotopes show systematic relationships along the ridge axis. The ridge axis is segmented with respect to geochemical variations, and local spike-like anomalies in³He/⁴He, Pb and Sr isotopes, and trace element ratios such as(La/Sm)_N are prevalent at the latitudes of the islands of St. Helena, Tristan da Cunha and Gough to the east of the ridge. The isotope systematics are consistent with injection beneath the ridge of mantle “blobs” enriched in radiogenic He, Pb and Sr, derived from off-axis hotspot sources. The variability in³He/⁴He along the ridge can be used to refine the hotspot source-migrating-ridge sink model.

MORB from the 2–7°S segment are systematically the least radiogenic samples found along the mid-ocean ridge system to date. Here the depleted mantle source is characterized by⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr of 0.7022, Pb isotopes close to the geochron and with²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb of 17.7, and³He/⁴He of 8.6–8.9 R_A. The “background contamination” of the subridge mantle, by radiogenic helium derived from off-ridge hotspots, displays a maximum between 20 and 24°S. The HePb and HeSr isotope relations along the ridge indicate that the³He/⁴He ratios are lower for the hotspot sources of St. Helena, Tristan da Cunha and Gough than for the MORB source, consistent with direct measurements of³He/⁴He ratios in the island lavas. Details of the HeSrPb isotope systematics between 12 and 22°S are consistent with early, widespread dispersion of the St. Helena plume into the asthenosphere, probably during flattening of the plume head beneath the thick lithosphere prior to continental breakup. The geographical variation in theHe/Pbratio deduced from the isotope systematics suggests only minor degassing of the plume during this stage. Subsequently, it appears that the plume component reaching the mid-Atlantic ridge was partially outgassed of He during off-ridge hotspot volcanism and related melting activity.

Overall, the similar behavior of He and Pb isotopes along the ridge indicates that the respective mantle sources have evolved under conditions which produced related He and Pb isotope variations.     

Large scale isotopic Sr, Nd and O isotopic anatomy of altered oceanic crust: DSDP/ODP sites417/418

Large-scale compositional domains at DSDP/ODP drill sites 417A, 417D and 418A were analyzed for O, Sr and Nd isotope ratios, and REE, U, K, Rb and Sr abundances, to constrain the bulk chemical composition of the oceanic crust that is recycled at subduction zones. The combination of the three sites gives the composition of the upper oceanic crust in this region over a distance of about 8 km. The δ¹⁸O_SMOW and⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr_meas of compositional domains 10–100 m in size correlate well, with a range of 7.7–19.2 and 0.70364–0.70744, and mean of 9.96 and 0.70475, respectively. The Rb inventory of the upper crust increases by about an order of magnitude, while Sr contents remain constant. U abundances increase moderately under oxidizing alteration conditions and nearly triple in the commonly reducing alteration environments of the upper oceanic crust. REEs are influenced by alteration only to a small extent, and recycled oceanic crust is similar to MORB with respect to¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd. Even though the average composition of the upper oceanic crust is well defined, the large scale composition varies widely. Highly altered compositional domains may not have a large impact on the average composition of the oceanic crust, but they may preferentially contribute to fluids or partial melts derived from the crust by prograde metamorphic reactions.     

Late Cenozoic alkaline volcanism in the northwestern Caribbean: tectonic setting and Sr isotopic characteristics

A province of alkaline volcanism has developed over the last 10 m.y. in the northwestern part of the Caribbean plate. Most of the volcanism is Quaternary in age and follows an apparent halving of the spreading rate at the Cayman Rise spreading center 2.4 m.y. ago. Intraplate deformation in Central America and the Nicaraguan Rise has produced a series of north-south orientated grabens. This extensional tectonism is associated temporally and spatially with some of the alkaline magmatism. Strontium isotopic ratios of rocks from sixteen of these centers of volcanism enable three separate areas with different isotopic characteristics to be identified. The largest area corresponds to the Nicaraguan Rise and is characterized by low⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios (0.7026–0.7031). A more concentrated area of alkaline magmatism in northeastern Costa Rica has intermediate⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios (0.7036–0.7038) which are within the range shown by the adjacent calc-alkaline volcanoes. In central Hispaniola high⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios (0.7047–0.7063) are found in strongly alkalic rocks and in rocks that are transitional to calc-alkaline in nature. In both Costa Rica and Hispaniola the increased radiogenic strontium may have come from volatile-rich fluids escaping from adjacent subducting slabs of oceanic crust. The isotopic differences between the two areas may be related to the relative longevity and high rate of subduction in Costa Rica compared to Hispaniola. The Costa Rican alkaline rocks overlie a segment of the Cocos plate which is being subducted at a smaller angle (～ 35°) than at the rest of the Central American arc.     

Strontium isotopic identification of water-rock interaction and ground water mixing

87Sr/86Sr ratios of ground waters in the Bighorn and Laramie basins' carbonate and carbonate-cemented aquifer systems, Wyoming, United States, reflect the distinctive strontium isotope signatures of the minerals in their respective aquifers. Well water samples from the Madison Aquifer (Bighorn Basin) have strontium isotopic ratios that match their carbonate host rocks. Casper Aquifer ground waters (Laramie Basin) have strontium isotopic ratios that differ from the bulk host rock; however, stepwise leaching of Casper Sandstone indicates that most of the strontium in Casper Aquifer ground waters is acquired from preferential dissolution of carbonate cement. Strontium isotope data from both Bighorn and Laramie basins, along with dye tracing experiments in the Bighorn Basin and tritium data from the Laramie Basin, suggest that waters in carbonate or carbonate-cemented aquifers acquire their strontium isotope composition very quickly--on the order of decades. Strontium isotopes were also used successfully to verify previously identified mixed Redbeds-Casper ground waters in the Laramie Basin. The strontium isotopic compositions of ground waters near Precambrian outcrops also suggest previously unrecognized mixing between Casper and Precambrian aquifers. These results demonstrate the utility of strontium isotopic ratio data in identifying ground water sources and aquifer interactions.     

Global correlation for strontium isotope curve in the Late Cretaceous of Tibet and dating marine sediments

87Sr/86Sr ratios of marine carbonate samples collected from a sedimentary section of the Late Cretaceous in the south of Tibet were measured. Based on the absence of cathodo-luminescence and a very low Mn/Sr ratio (average 0.06) of the samples, it is thought that they contain information on the original seawater strontium isotope composition. The strontium isotope evolution curve of the Late Cretaceous in Tibet we established here, is consistent with other coeval curves from Europe, North America and Antarctica, supports the notion that the strontium isotope composition of seawater is governed by global events, which provides a new approach for the inter-continental and inter-basinal correlations of Late Cretaceous in the area and is a complementarity for biostratigraphy. In addition, we attempt to determine the age of the boundaries for Campanian/Santonian and Maastrichtian/Campanian by 87Sr/86Sr ratios for Gamba section in southern Tibet. The two boundaries are located in the thickness of 217 m (83.5 M     

Mantle and crustal contribution in the genesis of Recent basalts from off-rift zones in Iceland: Constraints from Th, Sr and O isotopes

Along the two volcanic off-rift zones in Iceland, the Snfellsnes volcanic zone (SNVZ) and the South Iceland volcanic zone (SIVZ), geochemical parameters vary regularly along the strike towards the centre of the island. Recent basalts from the SNVZ change from alkali basalts to tholeiites where the volcanic zone reaches the active rift axis, and their⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr andTh/U ratios decrease in the same direction. These variations are interpreted as the result of mixing between mantle melts from two distinct reservoirs below Snfellsnes. The mantle melt would be more depleted in incompatible elements, but with^a higher³He/⁴He ratio (R/Ra≈ 20) beneath the centre of Iceland than at the tip of the Snfellsnes volcanic zone (R/Ra≈ 7.5).

From southwest to northeast along the SIVZ, the basalts change from alkali basalts to FeTi basalts and quartz-normative tholeiites. TheTh/U ratio of the Recent basalts increases and both (²³⁰Th/²³²Th) andδ¹⁸O values decrease in the same direction. This reflects an important crustal contamination of the FeTi-rich basalts and the quartz tholeiites. The two types of basalts could be produced through assimilation and fractional crystallization in which primary alkali basaltic and olivine tholeiitic melts ‘erode’ and assimilate the base of the crust. The increasingly tholeiitic character of the basalts towards the centre of Iceland, which reflects a higher degree of partial melting, is qualitatively consistent with increasing geothermal gradient and negative gravity anomaly.

The highest Sr isotope ratio in Recent basalts from Iceland is observed inÖrfajökull volcano, which has a³He/⁴He ratio (R/Ra≈ 7.8) close to the MORB value, and this might represent a mantle source similar to that of Mauna Loa in Hawaii.     

The Vendian record of Sr and C isotopic variations in seawater: Implications for tectonics and paleoclimate

New Sr and C isotopic data, both obtained on the same samples of marine carbonates, provide a relatively detailed record of isotopic variation in seawater through the latest Proterozoic and allow, for the first time, direct correlation of these isotopic changes in the Vendian ( 540–610 Ma). The strong isotope variations determined in this study record significant environmental and tectonic changes. Together with a fairly poorly constrained Nd isotopic record, the Sr and C isotopic records can be used to constrain rates of erosion, hydrothermal alteration and organic C burial. Further, comparison of these records with those of the Cenozoic permit investigation of the general relationship between global tectonics and continental glaciation. In particular, results of this study show a very large change in the ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr of marine carbonates from low pre-Vendian ( > 610 Ma) values ( 0.7066) to high Middle Cambrian values ( 0.7090). This change is greater in magnitude than the significant increase in seawater ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr through the Cenozoic. Both changes are attributed to high erosion rates associated with continent-continent collisions (Pan-African and Himalayan-Tibetan). In the latest Proterozoic these high erosion rates, probably coupled with high organic productivity and anoxic bottom-water conditions, contributed to a significant increase in the burial rate of organic C. Ice ages mark both the Neoproterozoic and Cenozoic, but different stratigraphic relationships between the Sr isotopic increase and continental glaciation indicate that uplift-driven models proposed to explain Cenozoic climatic change cannot account for the latest Proterozoic ice ages.     

The Shabogamo Intrusive Suite,Labrador: Sr and Nd isotopic evidence for contaminated mafic magmas in the Proterozoic

The Shabogamo Intrusive Suite comprises numerous bodies of variably metamorphosed gabbro which intrude Archean and Proterozoic sequences at the junction of the Superior, Churchill, and Grenville structural provinces in western Labrador. Combined Sm-Nd and Rb-Sr systematics in two bodies, ranging from unmetamorphosed to lightly metamorphosed, document a crystallization age of about 1375 m.y., and suggest that both bodies crystallized from magmas with similar Nd and Sr isotopic compositions. This age is in accordance with the existence of a regional magmatic event in the Churchill Province at approximately 1400 m.y.Rb-Sr systematics in two bodies of amphibolite-grade gabbro suggest a regional metamorphic event at about 950 m.y., corresponding to the waning stages of Grenville activity. Sm-Nd systematics in these high-grade bodies are affected to a much lesser degree than Rb-Sr.Initial ratios for¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd and⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr are lower and higher, respectively, than bulk earth values at 1375 m.y. Both these displacements are in the direction of older crustal material at 1375 m.y., and a model is proposed to produce the Shabogamo magma by mixing a mantle-derived magma with a partial melt of crustal rocks (approximately 4: 1 by volume). Young volcanic rocks with anomalous Nd and Sr isotopic ratios, which have previously been taken as evidence for “enriched” mantle, may be interpreted similarly.     

Oxygen isotopic compositions of Central Andean plutonic and volcanic rocks,latitudes 26°–29° south

Oxygen isotope data are reported for 27 igneous rocks of Mesozoic to Quaternary age from the Central Andes. 26–29°S. The plutonic rocks, and most of the volcanics, have δ¹⁸O values between 6.2 and 8.3‰.The whole-rock δ¹⁸O values show a weak correlation with initial⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr data. This O-Sr array differs from documented trends for calc-alkaline plutonic suites from California, Scotland and northern Italy, but overlaps with data for volcanic and plutonic rocks from Ecuador, northern Chile and southern Perú.The oxygen isotope results indicate that the magmas evolved without significant contamination from supracrustal rocks (e.g., rocks that experienced¹⁸O enrichment during surficial weathering). The available O, Sr and Pb isotopic data for these rocks are best explained by magma generation in the upper mantle or lower crust. From the Late Mesozoic on, the⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr values were modified at depth by isotopic exchange between the magma and a continually thickening crust of plutonic rocks of Late Precambrian to early Mesozoic age.     

Strontium isotope geochemistry of the Lemachang independent silver ore deposit, northeastern Yunnan, China

Sr isotope geochemical studies (the 87Sr/86Sr and ?18O-87Sr/86Sr systems) on the wall rocks and ores from the Lemachang independent Ag deposit in northeastern Yunnan provide strong evidence that the ore-forming fluids had flown through radiogenetically Sr-enriched rocks or strata prior to their entry into the locus of ore precipitation, and water-rock interaction is the main mechanism of Ag ore precipitation. The radiogenetically Sr-enriched source region may be the Proterozoic basement (the Kunyang and Hekou groups). Moreover, the theoretical modeling of the Sr isotopic system indicates that the ore-forming fluids contain as much as 3×10?6 Sr with isotopic composition of Sr being 0.750 and that of oxygen 7.0‰. The ore-forming temperatures were estimated at 150-250℃ for the carbonate rock-type ores and at 200-260℃ for the clastic rock-type.     

The strontium isotopic composition of interstitial waters from sites 245 and 336 of the Deep Sea Drilling Project

Measurements of ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios of interstitial waters from leg 25, site 245 and leg 38, site 336 of the Deep Sea Drilling Project show that the enrichment of Sr²⁺ with depth is caused both by the alteration of volcanic material and by the introduction of strontium derived from calcium carbonate. ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios range from 0.70913 to 0.70794 at site 245 and from 0.70916 to 0.70694 at site 336. The low ratios compared with contemporaneous seawater reflect the release of Sr from a volcanic source having, according to material-balance calculations, a ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of about 0.7034 at site 336. At this site the source appears to be volcanic ash and not basaltic basement which acts as a sink for Sr²⁺ during in situ low-temperature weathering. The volcanic contribution to the strontium enrichment in the basal interstitial waters varies from <10% at site 245 to >50% at site 336. The remaining Sr²⁺ is derived from Sr-rich biogenic carbonate during diagenetic recrystallization to form Sr-poor calcite.     

Strontium and oxygen isotopic composition of some basalts from Hole 504B,Costa Rica Rift,DSDP Legs 69 and 70

Seventeen whole-rock samples, generally taken at 25–50 m intervals from 5 to 560 m sub-basement in Hole 504B, drilled in 6.2 m.y. old crust, were analysed for⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios, Sr and Rb concentrations, and¹⁸O/¹⁶O ratios. Sr isotope ratios for 8 samples from the upper 260 m of the hole range from 0.70287 to 0.70377, with a mean of 0.70320. In the 330–560 m interval, 5 samples have a restricted range of 0.70255–0.70279, with a mean of 0.70266, the average value for fresh mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORB). In the 260–330 m interval, approximately intermediate Sr isotopic ratios are found.δ¹⁸O values (‰) range from 6.4 to 7.8 in the upper 260 m, 6.2–6.4 in the 270–320 m interval, and 5.8–6.2 in the 320–560 m interval. The values in the upper 260 m are typical for basalts which have undergone low-temperature seawater alteration, whereas the values for the 320–560 m interval correspond to MORB which have experienced essentially no oxygen isotopic alteration.The higher⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and¹⁸O/¹⁶O ratios in the upper part of the hole can be interpreted as the result of a greater overall water/rock ratio in the upper part of the Hole 504B crust than in the lower part. Interaction of basalt with seawater(⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr=0.7091) increased basalt⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios and produced smectitic alteration products which raised whole-rock δ¹⁸O values. Seawater circulation in the lower basalts may have been partly restricted by the greater number of relatively impermeable massive lava flows below about 230 m sub-basement. These flows may have helped to seal off lower basalts from through-flowing seawater.     

The strontium isotopic composition of seawater,and seawater-oceanic crust interaction

The⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of seawater strontium (0.7091) is less than the⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of dissolved strontium delivered to the oceans by continental run-off (～0.716). Isotope exchange with strontium isotopically lighter oceanic crust during hydrothermal convection within spreading oceanic ridges can explain this observation. In quantitative terms, the current⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of seawater (0.7091) may be maintained by balancing the continental run-off flux of strontium (0.59 × 10¹² g/yr) against a hydrothermal recirculation flux of 3.6 × 10¹² g/yr, during which the⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of seawater drops by 0.0011. A concomitant mean increase in the⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of the upper 4.5 km of oceanic crust of 0.0010 (0.7029–0.7039) should be produced. This required⁸⁷Sr enrichment has been observed in hydrothermally metamorphosed ophiolitic rocks from the Troodos Massif, Cyprus.The post-Upper Cretaceous increase in the strontium isotopic composition of seawater(～0.7075–0.7091) covaries smoothly with inferred increase in land area. This suggests that during this period the main factor which has caused variability in the⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of seawater strontium could have been variation in the magnitude of the continental run-off flux caused by variation in land area. Variations in land area may themselves have been partly a consequence of variations in global mean sea-floor spreading rate.     

Sr–Nd isotopic systematics and geochemistry of intermediate plutonic rocks from Ikoma Mountains, Southwest Japan: evidence for a sequence of Mesozoic magmatic activity in the Ryoke Belt

Abstract The Ryoke Belt in the Ikoma Mountains, Nara Prefecture, Japan, is composed mainly of various granitic, intermediate and gabbroic rocks. Igneous activity in this area is divided into two periods, early–middle Jurassic and late Cretaceous, based on isotopic dating. The intermediate plutonic rocks in the Fukihata area are composed of two rock types: Kyuanji quartz diorite and Fukihata tonalite. Rb–Sr whole-rock isochron ages have been determined for both plutonic rocks. Their ages and initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios are as follows: the Kyuanji quartz diorite has an age of 161.0 ± 17.9 Ma with an initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of 0.70727 ± 0.00007, while the Fukihata tonalite has an age of 121.4 ± 24.6 Ma with an initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of 0.70753 ± 0.00020. Our chronological results indicate that the Kyuanji quartz diorite belongs to the Jurassic mafic rocks, such as the Ikoma gabbroic mass, while the Fukihata tonalite belongs to the early Cretaceous granitic rocks. Both these intermediate plutonic rocks have different chemical characteristics and were derived from different magmas.     

Weathering,Sr fluxes,and controls on water chemistry in the Lake Qinghai catchment,NE Tibetan Plateau

Strontium (Sr) concentrations and isotopic ratios have been measured in a series of water and rock samples from most of the major tributaries of the Lake Qinghai basin on the north‐eastern Tibetan Plateau. Dissolved Sr and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr show ranges of 488–12 240 nmol/l and 0·710497–0·716977, respectively. These data, together with measurements of major cations and anions in rivers and their tributaries and various lithologies of the catchment, were used to determine the contributions of Sr and its isotopic expense to rivers and lakes. Our results demonstrate that the chemical components and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios of the alkaline waters are derived from mixing of carbonate and silicate sources, with the former contributing 72 ± 18% dissolved Sr to rivers. The difference in tributary compositions stems from the lithology of different river systems and low weathering intensity under a semi‐arid condition. Variation in ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios places constraint on the Sr‐isotopic compositions of the main tributaries surrounding Lake Qinghai. The water chemistry of the Buha River, the largest river within the catchment underlain by the late Paleozoic marine limestone and sandstones, dominates Sr isotopic composition of the lake water, being buffered by the waters from the other rivers and probably by groundwater. However, the characteristic chemical composition of the lake itself differs remarkably from the rivers, which can be attributed to precipitation of authigenic carbonates (low‐magnesium calcite, aragonite, and dolomite), though this does not impact the Sr isotope signature, which may remain a faithful indicator in paleo‐records. Regarding the potential role of groundwater input within the Lake Qinghai systems in the water budget and water chemistry, we have also determined the Sr concentration and ⁸⁷Sr/^S6Sr ratio of groundwater from diverse environments. This has allowed us to further constrain the Sr isotope systematic of this source. A steady‐state calculation gives an estimate for the groundwater flux of 0·19 ± 0·03 × 10⁸ m³/yr, accounting for about 8% of contemporary lake Sr budget. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Big difference in ~(87)Sr/ ~(86)Sr ratios of basalt and basin water: higher ~(87)Sr/ ~(86)Sr ratios in plagioclase

We analyzed the ~(87)Sr/~(86)Sr ratios of basaltic rocks and basin water in Xuyi,China,and found a big difference,which may challenge conventional wisdom on the contribution of basalt weathering in end-member analysis.Results of an in-house weathering experiment suggest that rainwater and dust are not responsible for the difference.By isolating the major minerals in basalt,we found that plagioclase has much higher ~(87)Sr/~(86)Sr ratios than bulk basalt and basin water,which might explain the difference in ~(87)Sr/~(86)Sr ratios of basalt and basin water.We inferthatlow-temperaturehydrothermalalteration increased the ~(87)Sr/~(86)Sr ratios of plagioclase.Future analyses of end-member contribution in a mixed-rock basin should take into account that basin water and plagioclase have higher ~(87)Sr/~(86)Sr ratios than basaltic rocks.     

Rb–Sr isochron ages of the Cretaceous granitoids in the Ryoke belt, Kinki district, Southwest Japan

Abstract Granitoids are widely distributed in the Ryoke belt and have been divided into four main igneous stages based on their field setting. In this paper, we present Rb–Sr isochron ages for the younger Ryoke granitoids (second stage to fourth stage) in the Kinki district. The Yagyu granite (second stage) gave a Rb–Sr whole‐rock isochron age of 74.6 ± 10.9 Ma with an initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of 0.70938 ± 0.00016, and a Rb–Sr mineral isochron age of 71.8 ± 0.1 Ma. The Narukawa granite (second stage) yielded a Rb–Sr mineral isochron age of 79.5 ± 0.4 Ma. A Rb–Sr whole‐rock isochron age of 78.3 ± 3.0 Ma with an initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of 0.70764 ± 0.00014 was obtained for the Takijiri adamellite (third stage). The Katsuragi quartzdiorite (fourth stage) gave a Rb–Sr whole‐rock isochron age of 85.1 ± 18.3 Ma (initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of 0.70728 ± 0.00006), and mineral isochron ages of 76.9 ± 0.5 Ma and 74.8 ± 0.5 Ma. The Minamikawachi granite (fourth stage) gave a Rb–Sr whole‐rock isochron age of 72.8 ± 2.0 Ma with an initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of 0.70891 ± 0.00021. These age data indicate that the igneous activity in younger Ryoke granitoids of Kinki district occurred between 80 and 70 Ma, except for the Katsuragi quartz diorite. The isotopic data on the various igneous stages in Kinki district correspond with the relative timing from field observations. Based on the initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios, the granitoids of the Ryoke belt in Kinki district are spatially divided into two groups. One is granitoids with initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of 0.707–0.708, distributed in the southern part of the Ryoke belt. The other is granitoids with initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of 0.708–0.710 distributed in the northern part of the Ryoke belt. The initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios of granitoids increase with decreasing (becoming younger) Rb–Sr whole‐rock isochron ages.