UCL Discovery
UCL home » Library Services » Electronic resources » UCL Discovery

Stable and radiogenic strontium isotope fractionation during hydrothermal seawater-basalt interaction

Voigt, M; Pearce, CR; Baldermann, A; Oelkers, EH; (2018) Stable and radiogenic strontium isotope fractionation during hydrothermal seawater-basalt interaction. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta , 240 pp. 131-151. 10.1016/j.gca.2018.08.018. Green open access

[thumbnail of Merged submitted.pdf]
Preview
Text
Merged submitted.pdf - Accepted Version

Download (10MB) | Preview

Abstract

The fluid-rock interactions occurring in hydrothermal systems at or near mid-oceanic ridges (MOR) were studied experimentally by reacting crystalline and glassy basalt with seawater at 250 °C and 290 °C while monitoring the liquid phase Sr isotopic evolution (87Sr/86Sr and δ88/86Sr). The results indicate that seawater Sr was incorporated into anhydrite during the early stages of seawater-basalt interaction. Liquid87Sr/86Sr values trend towards the basaltic signature as non-stoichiometric basalt dissolution became the dominant process. This suggests that the interplay between fast Sr incorporation into secondary sulfates versus slow and continuous Sr liberation due to basalt dissolution at intermediate temperatures could partly explain previously identified discrepancies between MOR heat budget constraints and the marine87Sr/86Sr budget. Late-stage anhydrite re-dissolution, likely caused by the liquid phase becoming more reducing through further basalt dissolution, as well as by quenching of the experiments, represents a potential explanation for the low amounts of anhydrite found in naturally altered oceanic basalt samples. Relatively strong decreases in liquid δ88/86Sr values in experiments with crystalline basalt suggest that isotopically light Sr was preferentially released due to non-stoichiometric dissolution. A slight preference of anhydrite for isotopically heavy Sr (εAnhydrite-Liquid88/86=0.034±0.019‰) is indicated by the data, suggesting that changes in MOR spreading rates and Sr removal could be recorded in the isotope compositions of authigenic, sedimentary Sr phases. Such insights will help to constrain the influence of hydrothermal systems on the oceanic stable Sr cycle.

Type: Article
Title: Stable and radiogenic strontium isotope fractionation during hydrothermal seawater-basalt interaction
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1016/j.gca.2018.08.018
Publisher version: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2018.08.018
Language: English
Additional information: This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions.
Keywords: Hydrothermal activity, Isotopes, Strontium, Seawater, Mid-oceanic ridges,
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences > Dept of Earth Sciences
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10057660
Downloads since deposit
163Downloads
Download activity - last month
Download activity - last 12 months
Downloads by country - last 12 months

Archive Staff Only

View Item View Item