Skip to main content

Main menu

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current
    • Archive
    • Special Volumes and Special Issue
  • Subscriptions
    • Subscribers
    • FAQ
    • Terms & Conditions for use of AJS Online
  • Instructions to Authors
    • Focus and paper options
    • Submit your manuscript
  • Site Features
    • Alerts
    • Feedback
    • Usage Statistics
    • RSS
  • About Us
    • Editorial Board
    • The Journal

User menu

  • Register
  • Subscribe
  • My alerts
  • Log in
  • My Cart

Search

  • Advanced search
American Journal of Science
  • Register
  • Subscribe
  • My alerts
  • Log in
  • My Cart
American Journal of Science

Advanced Search

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current
    • Archive
    • Special Volumes and Special Issue
  • Subscriptions
    • Subscribers
    • FAQ
    • Terms & Conditions for use of AJS Online
  • Instructions to Authors
    • Focus and paper options
    • Submit your manuscript
  • Site Features
    • Alerts
    • Feedback
    • Usage Statistics
    • RSS
  • About Us
    • Editorial Board
    • The Journal
  • Follow ajs on Twitter
  • Visit ajs on Facebook
  • Follow ajs on Instagram
Research ArticleArticles

Iodine-129, 87Sr/86Sr, and trace elemental geochemistry of northern Appalachian Basin brines: Evidence for basinal-scale fluid migration and clay mineral diagenesis

Stephen G. Osborn, Jennifer C. McIntosh, Jeffrey S. Hanor and Dana Biddulph
American Journal of Science March 2012, 312 (3) 263-287; DOI: https://doi.org/10.2475/03.2012.01
Stephen G. Osborn
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • For correspondence: sgosborn@csupomona.edu
Jennifer C. McIntosh
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Jeffrey S. Hanor
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Dana Biddulph
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • Article
  • Figures & Data
  • References
  • Info & Metrics
  • PDF
Loading

Abstract

Evidence for basin scale brine migration and clay mineral diagenesis in the northern Appalachian Basin was investigated using elemental and isotope (129I/I, 87Sr/86Sr) geochemistry of formation waters collected from the Middle to Upper Devonian section of the northern basin margin in western New York, northwest Pennsylvania, and eastern Kentucky. One sample from each of the Mississippian Berea sandstone and the Silurian Medina sandstone were analyzed for comparison. Measured iodine ratios range between 28 to 1,890 × 10−15 and are anomalously high compared to cosmogenic iodine sourced from Devonian age organic matter. Iodine-129 in the waters was largely derived from fissiogenic sources, the spontaneous fission of 238U to produce 129I, with estimated 129I/I values up to 270 × 10−15, which occur locally in the organic-rich shales. There are three water samples that have values of 490 × 10−15, 860 × 10−15, and 1,890 × 10−15, which are above the range for local fissiogenic 129I and may be accounted for by topographically driven, basin scale fluid flow through a regionally high fissiogenic source. Relatively large uranium occurrences lie along the structural front of the Appalachian Basin in the Blue Ridge Province and are situated within hypothesized flow paths parallel to the main compressional direction of the Alleghanian orogeny. Estimated 129I/I values for these uranium occurrences are in excess of 55,000 × 10−15. The strontium isotope composition and Sr concentration of brines display a mixing trend between a highly radiogenic end-member (0.7210) with low Sr (51 mg/L) and a non-radiogenic (0.7100), high Sr (4789 mg/L) end-member. Potassium and boron concentrations are notably depleted relative to evaporated Paleozoic seawater, the hypothesized source of Appalachian Basin brines. The K/Rb values of formation waters are depleted relative to seawater values, but in some cases are well above values indicative of water-rock reactions. The Sr isotopic composition, K and B depletion, and intermediate K/Rb ratios are consistent with smectite diagenesis and paleo-temperatures that are likely greater than approximately 150 °C. These temperatures may be high given the burial history of the study area and support the flow of formation waters from deeper within the basin. The combined isotopic and elemental results of formation waters provide compelling evidence for basin scale fluid migration in the northern Appalachian Basin and are consistent with previously published evidence documented from the rock record, including clay mineral diagenesis and ore deposition.

  • Illitization
  • topographic flow
  • tectonic flow
  • fissiogenic iodine
  • strontium
View Full Text

This article requires a subscription to view the full text. If you have a subscription you may use the login form below to view the article. Access to this article can also be purchased.

Log in using your username and password

Forgot your user name or password?

Purchase access

You may purchase access to this article. This will require you to create an account if you don't already have one.
PreviousNext
Back to top

In this issue

American Journal of Science: 312 (3)
American Journal of Science
Vol. 312, Issue 3
1 Mar 2012
  • Table of Contents
  • Table of Contents (PDF)
  • About the Cover
  • Index by author
  • Ed Board (PDF)
Print
Download PDF
Article Alerts
Sign In to Email Alerts with your Email Address
Email Article

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word on American Journal of Science.

NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not capture any email address.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
Iodine-129, 87Sr/86Sr, and trace elemental geochemistry of northern Appalachian Basin brines: Evidence for basinal-scale fluid migration and clay mineral diagenesis
(Your Name) has sent you a message from American Journal of Science
(Your Name) thought you would like to see the American Journal of Science web site.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
1 + 5 =
Solve this simple math problem and enter the result. E.g. for 1+3, enter 4.
Citation Tools
Iodine-129, 87Sr/86Sr, and trace elemental geochemistry of northern Appalachian Basin brines: Evidence for basinal-scale fluid migration and clay mineral diagenesis
Stephen G. Osborn, Jennifer C. McIntosh, Jeffrey S. Hanor, Dana Biddulph
American Journal of Science Mar 2012, 312 (3) 263-287; DOI: 10.2475/03.2012.01

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
Share
Iodine-129, 87Sr/86Sr, and trace elemental geochemistry of northern Appalachian Basin brines: Evidence for basinal-scale fluid migration and clay mineral diagenesis
Stephen G. Osborn, Jennifer C. McIntosh, Jeffrey S. Hanor, Dana Biddulph
American Journal of Science Mar 2012, 312 (3) 263-287; DOI: 10.2475/03.2012.01
del.icio.us logo Digg logo Reddit logo Twitter logo Facebook logo Google logo Mendeley logo
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like
  • Google Plus One

Jump to section

  • Article
    • Abstract
    • INTRODUCTION
    • GEOLOGIC BACKGROUND
    • ILLITE-SMECTITE (I/S) DIAGENESIS IN THE APPALACHIAN BASIN
    • METHODS
    • RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
    • CONCLUSIONS
    • ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
    • REFERENCES
  • Figures & Data
  • Info & Metrics
  • References
  • PDF

Related Articles

  • No related articles found.
  • Google Scholar

Cited By...

  • Fluid evolution in fracturing black shales, Appalachian Basin
  • Fingerprinting "Stray" Formation Fluids Associated and Production with Hydrocarbon Exploration and Production
  • THE TIMING OF DIAGENESIS AND THERMAL MATURATION OF THE CRETACEOUS MARIAS RIVER SHALE, DISTURBED BELT, MONTANA
  • Google Scholar

More in this TOC Section

  • Timing and Nd-Hf isotopic mapping of early Mesozoic granitoids in the Qinling Orogen, central China: Implication for architecture, nature and processes of the orogen
  • India in the Nuna to Gondwana supercontinent cycles: Clues from the north Indian and Marwar Blocks
  • Unravelling the P-T-t history of three high-grade metamorphic events in the Epupa Complex, NW Namibia: Implications for the Paleoproterozoic to Mesoproterozoic evolution of the Congo Craton
Show more Articles

Similar Articles

Navigate

  • Current Issue
  • Archive

More Information

  • RSS

Other Services

  • About Us

© 2023 American Journal of Science

Powered by HighWire