Quantifying the carbon source of pedogenic calcite veins in weathered limestone: implications for the terrestrial carbon cycle

The continent is the second largest carbon sink on Earth’s surface.With the diversification of vascular land plants in the late Paleozoic,terrestrial organic carbon burial is represented by massive coal formation,while the development of soil profiles would account for both organic and inorganic carbon burial.As compared with soil organic carbon,inorganic carbon burial,collectively known as the soil carbonate,would have a greater impact on the long-term carbon cycle.Soil carbonate would have multiple carbon sources,including dissolution of host calcareous rocks,dissolved inorganic carbon from freshwater,and oxidation of organic matter,but the host calcareous rock dissolution would not cause atmospheric CO2drawdown.Thus,to evaluate the potential effect of soil carbonate formation on the atmospheric p CO2level,different carbon sources of soil carbonate should be quantitatively differentiated.In this study,we analyzed the carbon and magnesium isotopes of pedogenic calcite veins developed in a heavily weathered outcrop,consisting of limestone of the early Paleogene Guanzhuang Group in North China.Based on the C and Mg isotope data,we developed a numerical model to quantify the carbon source of calcite veins.The modeling results indicate that4–37 wt%of carbon in these calcite veins was derived from atmospheric CO2.The low contribution from atmospheric CO2might be attributed to the host limestone that might have diluted the atmospheric CO2sink.Nevertheless,taking this value into consideration,it is estimated that soil carbonate formation would lower 1 ppm atmospheric CO2within 2000 years,i.e.,soil carbonate alone would sequester all atmospheric CO2within 1 million years.Finally,our study suggests the C–Mg isotope system might be a better tool in quantifying the carbon source of soil carbonate.     

Early diagenetic growth of carbonate concretions in the upper Doushantuo Formation in South China and their significance for the assessment of hydrocarbon source rock

Mineralogical and textural characteristics and organic carbon composition of the carbonate concretions from the upper Doushantuo Formation (ca. 551 Ma) in the eastern Yangtze Gorge area reveal their early diagenetic (shallow) growth in organic-rich shale. High organic carbon content (up to 10%) and abundance of framboidal pyrites in the hosting shale suggest an anoxic or euxinic depositional environment. Well-preserved cardhouse clay fabrics in the concretions suggest their formation at 0-3 m burial depth, likely associated with microbial decomposition of organic matter and anaerobic oxidation of methane. Gases through decomposition of organic matter and/or from methanogenesis created bubbles and cavities, and anaerobic methane oxidation at the sulfate reduction zone resulted in carbonate precipitation, filling in bubbles and cavities to form spherical structures of the concretions. Rock pyrolysis analyses show that the carbonate concretions have lower total organic carbon (TOC) content but higher effective carbon than those in the host rocks. This may be caused by enclosed organic matter in pores of the concretions so that organic matter was protected from further modification during deep burial and maintained high hydrocarbon generating potential even in over-matured source rock. As a microbialite sensu latu, concretions have special growth conditions and may provide important information on the microbial activities in depositional and early burial environments.     

Rapid formation of rock varnish and other rock coatings on slag deposits near Fontana,California

Manganiferous rock varnish, silica glaze and iron skins have formed on 20- to 40-year-old slag piles near Fontana, southern California. Rapid rock-varnish formation is associated with an unidentified cocci bacterium that grows rapidly in culturing experiments, combined with the likelihood that Mn-rich solutions flow over slag surfaces. A new model is proposed for the formation of silica glaze, involving soluble Al-Si complexes and the nature of wetting films. Iron skins occur where runoff is concentrated, and where iron bacteria grow. Observations indicate: (i) substrate can be important in supplying Mn, as well as maintaining a stable surface and channelling runoff to microspots where varnish grows; (ii) ignorance of boundary layer pH/Eh conditions makes chemical-physical models of varnish formation speculative; (iii) the balance between cementation of recently nucleated varnishes and erosional shear stresses is poorly understood, but is probably an important limiting factor on varnish growth rates; and (iv) there must be at least two steps in biotic varnishing-accretion of Mn-Fe in casts, followed by cementation of clays by either in situ cast residue or Mn-Fe remobilized from casts. Varnish accretion may be limited by the rate at which both steps occur. Rapid development of readily distinguishable manganiferous rock varnishes at this post-1952 site highlights the danger of speculation on the ages of landforms based solely on the appearance of rock-varnish coatings.     

碳酸盐团簇同位素在沉积盆地热演化中的应用——以塔里木盆地顺托果勒地区为例

塔里木盆地奥陶系碳酸盐岩储层是近年来油气勘探的热点.然而,由于碳酸盐岩地层缺乏有效的古温标,极大的制约了热历史的研究.团簇同位素作为一种新的有效古温标,为碳酸盐岩地层的热历史恢复提供了可能.本文通过测试塔里木盆地顺托果勒地区奥陶系碳酸盐岩储层中不同结构组分的团簇同位素,利用固态重排模型重建了塔里木盆地顺托果勒地区不同构造单元的奥陶纪以来的热历史.塔里木盆地顺北、顺托和顺南地区泥晶基质的团簇同位素温度（T_Δ47）平均值分别为92.34℃、124.35℃和170.27℃,除了顺南地区SN501井和SN4井外,其他的所有样品在最高埋藏温度下尚未达到完全热平衡,可用于热历史重建.通过对顺托果勒地区典型单井设置不同的热史路径,进而明确最高埋藏温度的上限为170~190℃.此外,二叠纪的异常高温可能是地层抬升剥蚀和岩浆活动热事件共同作用的结果,顺托果勒地区二叠纪地温梯度范围为26~46℃/km,呈现西北高东南低的趋势,地温梯度的空间变化表明可能与岩浆活动有关,且岩浆活动中心可能位于塔北地区附近,岩浆活动造成热响应可能在SN3井附近终止.

     

中国西部甘、新边界地区岩石漆阳离子比率测年曲线的建立及其应用

岩石漆阳离子比率测年法是近年发展起来的一种新的测年方法,可广泛应用于干旱一半干旱地区第四系年代的测定。本文初步建立了中国西部甘、新边界地区岩石漆阳离子淋滤曲线,并据此对这一地区的第四纪中晚期地层的年代和断层活动年代进行了讨论     

Insights into the formation of rock varnish in prevailing dusty regions

The characteristics of rock varnish from the Campo de Piedra Pomez (CPP, Andes Argentina) provides new insights into the development of rock varnish under severe dusty conditions. The CPP varnish has been analysed using SEM‐EDAX and Raman techniques. The rock coating is tens of microns in thickness and under the microscope shows a micro to cryptocrystalline appearance and a general granular texture. Silica (quartz, cristobalite and amorphous silica) is the main phase forming these coverings followed by Al, K and Na compounds. Minor Fe oxides and Mn oxides are the source for the orange (Fe) and brown (Fe and Mn) hues of the coating. The results obtained for the CPP coating show that desert varnish developed under dusty circumstances does not have the appearance of typical rock varnish. Textural characteristics include high crystallinity and granular arrangement of the components. Moreover the absence of typical microlaminations is related to the presence of aeolian mineral grains which inhibit their development. The main mechanism of formation of rock varnish under such environmental circumstances is the direct incorporation of aeolian mineral grains into the varnish. However, other physicochemical processes are also required to explain the formation of varnish components such as amorphous silica or iron oxides phases. Although the development of the desert varnish may act as a protector of the underlying pyroclastic rock, the extreme and persistent windy conditions in the CPP field are high enough to weather and erode not only the rock coating but also the original ignimbrite. As other warm desert sites on Earth, the CPP area can also be considered as possible terrestrial analogue to Mars. Some environmental attributes might be similar to those expected on the Martian surface and thus, textural similarities between the CPP varnish and the rock varnish‐like coating of Mars are likely. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The formation mechanism of high-quality dolomite reservoir in the deep of Puguang Gas Field

The discovery of Puguang Gas Field provides the exploration of China deep marine carbonate rock with important references. In Puguang Gas Field, the dolomite reservoirs discovered in the deep are the best in the present of China, which present big thickness and wide-range distribution, and develop abundant secondary porosity. The researches show that Puguang Gas Field bears the characteristics of early gas-filling time, deep burial, high matured organic matter and long-term interaction of hydrocarbon (oil and gas)-water-rock (carbonate reservoir). The developments of secondary pores in this area are affected by multiple diagenesis and their formation mechanisms are complicated. Through the research on depositional environment, sedimentary facies and reservoir porosity characters of Changxing and Feixianguan Formations, it is thought that high-quality dolomite reservoirs of Puguang Gas Field form on the favorable sedimentary facies belts, which are the integrate result affected by several factors including superficial corrosion, burial corrosion, overpressure and tectonic movement, among which burial corrosion of TSR to reservoir and overpressure formed by thermal evolution of organic matter have great effect on the formation of secondary porosity of Changxing and Feixianguan Formations.     

相控地震多属性预测技术在南堡凹陷碳酸盐岩储层的应用

碳酸盐岩储层是南堡凹陷潜山重要的勘探领域,由于受到构造、岩性等多种因素的影响,常规储层预测难度大.本文提出相控储层预测方法,通过井上精细对比,确定南堡凹陷潜山碳酸盐岩储层的优势发育段,结合古地貌确定其有利分布相带,在有利相带约束下,优选出地震平均能量属性、曲率体属性、蚂蚁体属性和谱分解属性,融合这些属性,综合预测储层发育区.通过与已钻井的对比,储层发育区与钻井资料吻合度高,证实了该方法的有效性,同时为南堡凹陷潜山的展开勘探提供了参考.     

The formation mechanism of high-quality dolomite reservoir in the deep of Puguang Gas Field

The discovery of Puguang Gas Field provides the exploration of China deep marine carbonate rock with important references.In Puguang Gas Field,the dolomite reservoirs discovered in the deep are the best in the present of China,which present big thickness and wide-range distribution,and develop abundant secondary porosity.The researches show that Puguang Gas Field bears the characteristics of early gas-filling time,deep burial,high matured organic matter and long-term interaction of hydrocarbon(oil and gas)-water-rock(carbonate reservoir).The developments of secondary pores in this area are affected by multiple diagenesis and their formation mechanisms are complicated.Through the research on depositional environment,sedimentary facies and reservoir porosity characters of Changxing and Feixianguan Formations,it is thought that high-quality dolomite reservoirs of Puguang Gas Field form on the favorable sedimentary facies belts,which are the integrate result affected by several factors including superficial corrosion,burial corrosion,overpressure and tectonic movement,among which burial corrosion of TSR to reservoir and overpressure formed by thermal evolution of organic matter have great effect on the formation of secondary porosity of Changxing and Feixianguan Formations.     

天山北麓岩石漆显微原理层序的初步建立及其年代学意义

对天山地区的调查发现天山北麓有较好的岩石漆发育。利用特殊的超薄片磨制技术,在对１００个岩石漆超薄切片的显微影象分析对比后,初步建立了研究区内晚更新世以来岩石漆显微层理的标准层序,经过年代校正后,给出了该程序的大致年代控制。并对其在估计河流阶地,断层陡坎等地貌面时代方面的应用作了探讨。     

Reexamination of the rate of desert varnish formation reported south of barstow,California

Desert varnish is reported to have formed in 25 years on desert pavement stones in an abandoned road south of Barstow, California. It has been discovered that stones buried close to the surface of the roadbed and adjacent desert pavement bear the same dark desert varnish as the exposed stones at the surface. This and other observations refute the claim of 25 year old varnish.     

Ferromanganese rock varnish in north Norway: A subglacial origin

A thin, dark brown rock varnish is described from ice-smoothed bedrock on the forefield of a glacier in North Norway. It occurs only in narrow strips (ca 100 mm or less wide) which run roughly parallel to the ice front and along the top edges of small treads of a series of bedrock steps. The varnish is hard, thin (< 10 μm) and consists of an iron/manganese deposit, greatly enriched in these elements compared with the composition of the underlying gabbroic bedrock. It is suggested that the varnish formation is due to localized changes in Eh/pH conditions in subglacial regelation ice and meltwater at the top of the bedrock steps. These changes may be due to CO₂ and/or O₂ degassing from water held at higher pressures under the ice than in cavities downstream where the ice is decoupled from the bedrock. Glacier retreat rates indicate that the varnish has remained exposed subaerially at the surface for about twenty years, and its restricted occurrence suggests that it is not of biological origin but rather is essentially authigenic. Possible subglacial origins for associated iron and silica precipitates are also suggested.     

天山北麓岩石漆显微层理层序的初步建立及其年代学意义

对天山地区的调查发现天山北麓有较好的岩石漆发育。利用特殊的超薄片磨制技术,在对100 个岩石漆超薄切片的显微影象分析对比后,初步建立了研究区内晚更新世以来岩石漆显微层理的标准层序,经过年代校正后,给出了该层序的大致年代控制。并对其在估计河流阶地、断层陡坎等地貌面时代方面的应用作了探讨     

Reconstruction of the diagenesis of the fluvial-lacustrine- deltaic sandstones and its influence on the reservoir quality evolution-- Evidence from Jurassic and Triassic sandstones, Yanchang Oil Field, Ordos Basin

The reservoir quality of Jurassic and Triassic fluvial and lacustrine-deltaic sandstones of the Yanchang Oil Field in the Ordos Basin is strongly influenced by the burial history and facies-related diagenetic events. The fluvial sandstones have a higher average porosity (14.8%) and a higher permeability (12.7×10?3 ?m2) than those of the deltaic sandstones (9.8% and 5.8 ×10?3 ?m2, respectively). The burial compaction, which resulted in 15% and 20% porosity loss for Jurassic and Triassic sandstones, respectively, is the main factor causing the loss of porosity both for the Jurassic and Triassic sandstones. Among the cements, carbonate is the main one that reduced the reservoir quality of the sandstones. The organic acidic fluid derived from organic matter in the source rocks, the inorganic fluid from rock-water reaction during the late diagenesis, and meteoric waters during the epidiagenesis resulted in the formation of dissolution porosity, which is the main reason for the enhancement of reservoir-quality.     

Spatiotemporal patterns of carbon sequestration in a large shallow lake,Chaohu Lake: Evidence from multiple-core records

Lake sediment can sequestrate large amounts of carbon and this issue has become a research hotspot. However, most of research on carbon burial in lakes is based on a single (or a few) sediment core records and so may underestimate the variability of carbon burial features within a single lake. In this study, therefore, Chaohu Lake, a typical large shallow lake in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, was selected to conduct multiple, high resolution sediment core studies to elucidate that variability. Overall 18 sediment cores are analyzed according to paleolimnological proxies (including ²¹⁰Pb/¹³⁷Cs for 3 master cores); sediment accumulation rate, total organic carbon, grain size and loss of ignition is measured or estimated for most cores. The spatiotemporal variations of organic carbon burial rate (OCBR), carbon storage and their driving factors were examined. Results show: 1) There was a clear temporal difference in carbon burial during the past 150 years, with OCBR varying from 1.1 g C/m²/y to 25.6 g C/m²/y (mean 9.8 g C/m²/y). OCBR began to increase after around 1900, a rapid increase followed after 1950s and a downward trend after 1970s. Total carbon burial amount (OCBA) in the lake since the 1850s is 1.11 x 10¹⁰ g. 2) The average OCBR of six sediment cores in the northwest lake area is 13.4 g C/m²/y, significantly higher than that for sediment cores in other areas (9.6 g C/m²/y). 3) TOC, OCBR, OCBA in all 18 cores exhibited similar temporal patterns (i.e. marked increase since 1950s in most of the cores) but with significant differences in several lake locations. 4) During the last 150 years, carbon burial in Chaohu Lake appears to be greatly affected by changes in regional temperature and population size, according to their significant correlations. OCBR also has a significant correlation with the average lake level in the past 50 years, indicating human activity (notably dam building). This has imposed an important impact on OCBR in Chaohu Lake. This multi-sediment core study reveals the spatiotemporal characteristics of carbon burial in the lake and provides an important basis for increasing the accuracy of calculating carbon storage in large shallow lakes.     

EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION OF SOME FACTORS AFFECTING ELASTIC WAVE VELOCITIES IN CARBONATE ROCKS *

Continuous velocity log data from the Upper Cretaceous section of about 65 wells from NW. Germany have been studied in order to find some factors which affect the behaviour of elastic wave velocities in carbonate rocks. It could be assumed for these particular rocks that the velocities they exhibit may be subject predominantly to their state of compaction and their lithology (shale-carbonate ratio). Considering the behaviour of the VL-curve, several types could be distinguished: The basic type r for which the shale-carbonate ratio remains almost invariable over a large depth range (as suggested i.a. by a constant degree of radiation in the accompanying Gamma Ray log) discloses a clear relationship between interval velocity (measured as travel time per meter) and overburden pressure. Velocity profiles of log type r and also “peak” velocities from “pure” limestones, plotted versus depth indicate an increase rate almost identical to that of Jurassic shales. It is shown that the lithologic constant can be extracted from the Velocity Log data and then used for mapping fades changes in an area with sufficient well control. In certain cases it is even possible to determine the rate of uplifting (or the original maximum burial position) for a carbonate rock which has an anomalous high velocity in respect to its present depth.     

A note on the characteristics and possible origins of desert varnishes from southeast Morocco

Two substrate-controlled varnish types were identified from arid southeast Morocco: (1) patchy varnish interspersed with ‘silica glaze’ on silicified limestone and (2) a complete varnish cover on partially-silicified limestone. Electron probe microanalysis was used in conjunction with scanning electron microscopy to investigate their chemical composition. In both instances, varnishes are predominantly silica and iron-rich with localized concentrations of manganese. Inorganic fixation of iron and manganese is the preferred explanation, with manganese and iron derived predominantly from external sources—possibly wind-blown dust. Some iron and silica may also be derived by outward migration from within the substrate, particularly on partially silicified limestone.     

Chronometry of pedogenic and stratigraphic events from calcite produced by earthworms

Dating phases of pedogenesis, soil carbonate deposition or even the burial of whole soil profiles using ¹⁴C is a valuable goal in archaeology and pedology, but one that has been consistently hampered by the presence of old carbon skewing the measurements to produce apparent dates older than the true formation date. Calcite produced by earthworms could be a useful alternative source of datable carbon. Since earthworms both inhabit and ingest soils with an old carbon content, however, the granules could yield a ¹⁴C date older than the date of their formation. In this study, by examining granules from two sites of known-age stratigraphy, we show that the radiocarbon date derived from the granules' calcite closely reflects their true formation date, opening up the possibility of using the granules either individually or as distributions of dates to understand soil processes and date sealed archaeological layers.     

Remagnetization of the Early Paleozoic rocks from southern part of the Huabei basin (II)

The opinions vary on the secondary remagnetization mechanisms of carbonate rocks. The prevalent interpretations of magnetic remanences are either chemical in origin that invoked the large-scale migration of orogenic fluids. or thermoviscous magnetization involved burial diagenetic processes. The paleomagnetic study carried out in northwestern part of Henan Province (north of the Qinling orogenic belt) reveals that 90% of carbonate rocks have suffered from the secondary remagnetization. On the basis of rock magnetic experiments, the assemblage of the magnetic minerals, remanent carriers and its formation process, and the possible mechanisms of remagnetization in these carbonate rocks are discussed.     

Gas formation mechanism of marine carbonate source rocks in China

It has been proven in exploration practice that thecarbonates in China not only can generate hydrocar-bons, but also form commercial reservoirs. The car-bonates are different from clastic rocks in view of theirdeposition environment as well as their sedimentaryand diagenetic processes. Therefore, the evaluationcriteria and hydrocarbon generation mechanism forcarbonates can not be the same as that for clasticrocks, and it is important to establish a special hydro-carbon generation mechanism and…