eprintid: 1431674
rev_number: 27
eprint_status: archive
userid: 608
dir: disk0/01/43/16/74
datestamp: 2014-06-06 19:42:56
lastmod: 2021-09-26 22:13:22
status_changed: 2014-06-06 19:42:56
type: article
metadata_visibility: show
item_issues_count: 0
creators_name: Heap, MJ
creators_name: Baud, P
creators_name: Reuschle, T
creators_name: Meredith, PG
title: Stylolites in limestones: Barriers to fluid flow?
ispublished: pub
divisions: UCL
divisions: B04
divisions: C06
divisions: F57
note: © 2013 Geological Society of America. Gold Open Access: This paper is published under the terms of the CC-BY license.
abstract: Stylolites—products of intergranular pressure-solution—are laterally extensive, planar features. They are a common strain localization feature in sedimentary rocks. Their potential impact on regional fluid flow has interested geoscientists for almost a century. Prevalent views are that they act as permeability barriers, although laboratory studies are extremely rare. Here we report on a systematic laboratory study of the influence of stylolites on permeability in limestone. Our data demonstrate that, contrary to conventional wisdom, the studied stylolites do not act as barriers to fluid flow. In detail, when a stylolite occurs perpendicular to the direction of flow, the permeability simply follows the same power law permeability-porosity trend as the stylolite-free material. We show, using a combination of high-resolution (4 µm) X-ray computed tomography, optical microscopy, and chemical analyses, that the stylolites of this study are not only perforated layers constructed from numerous discontinuous pressure solution seams, but comprise minerals of similar or lower density to the host rock. The stylolites are not continuous high-density layers. Our data affirm that stylolites may not impact regional fluid flow as much as previously anticipated.
date: 2014-01
official_url: http://dx.doi.org/10.1130/G34900.1
vfaculties: VMPS
oa_status: green
full_text_type: pub
primo: open
primo_central: open_green
verified: verified_manual
elements_source: WoS-Lite
elements_id: 940657
doi: 10.1130/G34900.1
lyricists_name: Meredith, Philip
lyricists_id: PGMER52
full_text_status: public
publication: GEOLOGY
volume: 42
number: 1
pagerange: 51 - 54
issn: 0091-7613
citation:        Heap, MJ;    Baud, P;    Reuschle, T;    Meredith, PG;      (2014)    Stylolites in limestones: Barriers to fluid flow?                   GEOLOGY , 42  (1)   51 - 54.    10.1130/G34900.1 <https://doi.org/10.1130/G34900.1>.       Green open access   
 
document_url: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1431674/1/Geology-2014-Heap-51-4.pdf