Spatial geochemistry of a Carboniferous platform-margin-to-basin transect: Balancing environmental and diagenetic factors

Conventional (one-dimensional) chemostratigraphy of marine carbonates assesses the chemical archive of individual stratigraphic sections and their correlation in space and time. Whereas this approach has shown to be of value when linking isobathymetric domains, usually characterised by similar facies, more caution is needed when correlations are extended across different physiographic settings and hence different facies belts. Here, the spatial geochemical record of Pennsylvanian platform-margin-to-basin transects across a bathymetric range of about 800 m is documented and discussed in a process-oriented context. Particularly, the presence of layered palaeo-water masses and their potential control on slope facies distribution and geochemical properties requires attention. Whereas Carboniferous thermo- and/or chemo-clines most likely affected depth-related slope facies zonation, it was facies change and hence, variances in porosity–permeability properties, that controlled differential early burial diagenetic alteration. Specifically, the lower-slope related breccia facies is characterised by higher volumes of early burial carbonate cements. This implies that these sediments entered the shallow-burial domain with a considerable open pore space and gave way to an increased rock:fluid ratio. Whereas the δ¹³C record is invariant with bathymetry, the more diagenesis-sensitive δ¹⁸O proxy, records pronounced shifts observed across major facies boundaries. From this it is concluded that although the primary controlling factor of slope facies distribution with depth is probably palaeoceanographic in nature, it is differential rock:fluid ratios that control the first-order, spatial shifts in δ¹⁸O composition. These findings show that one-dimensional chemostratigraphy will severely underestimate the complexity of three-dimensional (bathymetric) data sets across platform margins. This is of relevance for the interpretation of the geochemical archive of fossil carbonate platforms in general.     

Trace elements in world steam coal and their behaviour in Dutch coal-fired power stations: A review

Trace elements associated with the combustion of coal have received more attention recently, as can be seen from the increasing demands laid down in legislation and permits.Knowledge of the trace element content of coal is essential. Coal used in the Netherlands is imported from all over the world. As a consequence, Dutch power stations are designed to burn a wide range of bituminous coals. The largest share nowadays originates from South Africa, Colombia, and Indonesia, with these three countries accounting for more than 85% of the coal fired in the Netherlands in recent years. The coals, as imported in the Netherlands, have been monitored for their (trace) element content. At present the database contains results of own analyses of about 170 coals, originating from 14 different countries. An important uncertainty was the question of how homogeneous the imported lots are. It appears that the lots as imported from overseas are fairly homogeneous.The behaviour and fate of trace elements in coal-fired power stations has been studied in more than 40 mass balance studies since 1977. More than 50 test series have been completed during co-combustion of biomass and waste materials (up to 40% on mass base) since 1993. It has therefore been possible to establish a relationship between (trace) elements in the fuel and the ash, as well as with emissions into the atmosphere.     

Mesoproterozoic Lakhanda Lagerstätte, Siberia: Paleoecology and taphonomy of the microbiota

The preservation of the organic-walled microbiota of the Lakhanda Lagerstätte in the Kumakha mudstone succession of the late Mesoproterozoic Lakhanda Group (Uchur-Maya region, southeast Siberia) is a result of unusually favorable paleoecologic, taphonomic, and diagenetic conditions. Well known for its marked taxonomic diversity and exquisite preservation, the biota inhabited a warm, shallow, epicontinental basin rich in nutrients into which were dispersed clay minerals, from weathering of continental crust, and minor amounts of volcanic detritus. The fossils were preserved by compression in fine-grained smectite–illite–kaolinite mudstones deposited in a sulfur-deficient disoxic and anoxic environment. Subsequently, the long-term (1 Ga) tectonic stability of the southeast margin of the Siberian platform has provided an exceptional environment for the preservation of the microfossil assemblage without significant diagenetic alteration. Conclusions drawn here from studies of the paleoecology, taphonomy, and diagenesis of the Lakhanda Lagerstätte may provide a globally useful model in the search for additional evidence of the Precambrian rise to dominance of eukaryotes in the Earth's biosphere.     

Atmospheric inputs of trace metals to the northeast Atlantic Ocean: the importance of southeasterly flow

The study of aerosols and rainwater presented here demonstrates that episodic atmospheric deposition events associated with southeasterly flow are quantitatively significant for large areas of the North Atlantic Ocean. This paper considers aluminium and manganese, with predominantly crustal sources, and lead and zinc, which are mobilised into the atmosphere primarily through anthropogenic activity. High levels of all trace metals are associated with southeasterly flow from Europe as the air passes over heavily populated and industrialised regions before reaching the northeast Atlantic Ocean. Fluxes calculated using the 1% HNO₃ acid soluble metal concentration show that, although the climatological norm for this area is westerly flow, short-lived southeasterly transport events dominate the input of trace metals to this ocean region. This material may be toxic to phytoplankton or may be represent a new source of nutrients to the biological community. A significant decrease in atmospheric lead levels in polluted air is seen between June 1996 and May 1997, reflecting the decrease in use of leaded fuels in Europe. Comparing atmospheric flux values to sediment trap metal fluxes shows that the atmosphere represents the dominant source of zinc to the deep ocean, whereas an additional, non-atmospheric, manganese source this required, perhaps from mobilisation of sedimentary material from the continental shelf or long range advection of manganese rich Saharan material.     

绿帘石记录俯冲带变质流体活动

俯冲带是连接地球表生圈层和深部圈层的关键纽带,深刻影响着地球内部的运行方式和人类宜居环境。俯冲板片脱水释放的高压-超高压变质流体控制着俯冲带诸多重要地质过程,如地幔楔交代和部分熔融、岛弧岩浆活动、中/深源地震以及地球内部的元素迁移和分异等等。深入了解这些流体的源区、运移、成分和物理化学条件是理解这些流体性质和行为的前提和关键。绿帘石是俯冲带变质岩中一个常见的含水造岩矿物,具有较宽广的稳定温压范围(绿片岩相-榴辉岩相)、较高的微量元素含量和缓慢的体扩散行为(如Sr、Pb、Th、U、Cr、V和LREE),能够指示俯冲带(多期)变质流体活动和地球化学效应。本文总结了近年来俯冲带变质绿帘石研究的主要进展及其在揭示俯冲带流体活动方面的重要应用,包括探究俯冲带流体的起源、成分特征、运移方式、氧逸度条件、交代效应和多期次结晶行为。这些研究表明绿帘石是一个极好的变质流体活动记录器,能够为理解俯冲带流体活动和深部元素迁移提供关键信息。     

变质流体作用的元素地球化学研究

变质流体作用是变质岩－流体体系的重要地质作用过程，可以通过有效的地质地球化学方法揭示，综述了变质流体作用的地球化学研究进展，主要包括：流体包裹体，同位素和元素地球化学等方面，强调了元素地球化学研究对于示踪变质流体作用过程的重要性。     

南、北极雪、冰、水中的痕量元素离子与水汽化学

应用水汽化学的方法学和理论,研究南,北极雪,冰,水中的Ｚｎ＾２＋等离子,南北,极雪,冰,水中Ｚｎ＾２＋,Ｃｄ＾２＋,Ｐｂ＾２＋,Ｃｕ＾２＋,Ｓｎ＾４＋,Ｂｉ＾３＋离子含量的空间变化很小,与水汽化学原理计算的离子总平均含量Ｚｎ＾２＋,５．０μｇ／Ｌ,Ｐｂ＾２＋＋０．０３０μｇ／Ｌ,Ｃｕ＾２＋＋０．７０μｇ／Ｌ,Ｓｎ＾４＋＋０．９９μｇ／Ｌ,Ｂｉ＾３＋＋０．１８μｇ／Ｌ相一致。南北极Ｚｎ＾２＋等离子处     

Constraints from high-pressure veins in eclogites on the composition of hydrous fluids in subduction zones

Hydrous high-pressure veins formed during dehydration of eclogites in two paleo-subduction zones (Trescolmen locality in the Adula nappe, central Alps and Münchberg Gneiss Massif, Variscan fold belt, Germany) constrain the major and trace element composition of solutes in fluids liberated during dehydration of eclogites. Similar initial isotopic compositions of veins and host eclogites at the time of metamorphism indicate that the fluids were derived predominantly from the host rocks. Quartz, kyanite, paragonite, phengite, zoisite and omphacite are the dominant minerals in the veins. The major element compositions of the veins are in agreement with experimental evidence indicating that the composition of solutes in such fluids is dominated by SiO₂ and Al₂O₃. Relative to N-MORB, the veins show enrichments of Cs, Rb, Ba, Pb, and K, comparable or slightly lower abundances of Sr, U, and Th, and very low abundances of Nd, Sm, Zr, Nb, Ti and Y. The differential fractionation of highly incompatible elements such as K, U and Th in the veins, as well as the presence of hydrous minerals in the eclogites rule out partial melting as a cause for vein formation. These results confirm previous suggestions that fluids derived from subducted basalt may have low abundances of high field strength elements, rare earth elements and Y. Variable vein-eclogite enrichment factors of incompatible alkalis and to a lesser extent Pb appear to reflect mineralogical controls (phengite, epidote-group minerals) on partitioning of these elements during dehydration of eclogite in subduction zones. However, abundance variations of incompatible elements in minerals from eclogites suggest that the composition of fluids released from eclogites at temperatures <700°C may not reflect true equilibrium partitioning during dehydration. Simple models for the trace elements U and Th indicate the relative importance of the basaltic and sedimentary portions of subducted oceanic crust in producing the characteristic chemical signatures of these elements in convergent plate margin volcanism.     

Investigation of trace metals distribution in water,sediments and wetland plants of K(i)z(i)l(i)rmak Delta,Turkey

In this study,accumulation and distribution of Pb,Cu,Zn,Co,Ni,Mn and Fe in water,bottom sediments and four plant species (Myriophyllum verticillatum,Hydrocharis morsus-ranae,Nymphaea alba and Typha latifolia) were investigated in (C)ernek Lake of Kizihrmak Delta.The Kizdirmak Delta is one of the largest natural wetlands of Turkey and it is protected by the Ramsar convention since 1993.Selected physico-chemical parameters such as pH,conductivity and dissolved oxygen and also trace metal concentrations were monitored in water.All the parameters obtained were found higher than that of the national standards for the protected lakes and reserves.The accumulated amounts of various trace metals in bottom sediments and wetland plants were found in the following order of Fe ＞ Mn ＞ Zn ＞ Ni ＞ Co ＞ Cu ＞ Pb and Fe ＞ Mn ＞ Zn ＞ Ni ＞ Co respectively.The historical trace metal intake of Myriophyllum verticillatum,Hydrocharis morsus-ranae,Typha latifolia and Nymphaea alba were obtained higher than that of the toxic metal levels and these plants may be accepted as accumulators for the detected trace metals and also bioindicators in the historically polluted natural areas.