Biomaker and Carbon Isotope Geochemistry of Pyrolytic and Chemosynthetic Processes in Sedimented Hydrothermal Systems

这是一项持续的合作研究工作， 生物学家对热液喷发的研究，主要是在瓜伊马斯 盆地，并对东北部的材料进行后续研究 太平洋（中谷、胡安德富卡和戈尔达海脊）、非洲 东非大裂谷（坦噶尼喀湖），以及大陆下的热点 （黄石公园）。 有机物（石油）被带到 海底热液循环代表了 从深层的有机碎屑中产生热解产物， 是血液合成食物网的碳源 这种类型的 碳循环及其地质归宿将在一个 热液活动的沉积裂谷系统， 主要为陆地有机碎屑（埃斯卡诺巴海槽）。 这 将通过将有机地球化学和同位素地球化学结合起来， 研究沉积后热解 有机物（石油）的变化， 生物降解/风化过程和化学合成碳 固定 化学反应（例如芳构化，脱水， 异构化）与温度的限制，也将研究 为不同的化合物类别定义形成“窗口”。 这些化合物类的环境命运将被检查 以评估溶解度、氧化风化和生物降解。 关键的反应和过程将在实验室模拟 通过水合热解实验。 碳14测年 有机质组分将限制污染源 以及含碳物质蚀变的海底下深度。 因此，分子和同位素特征将能够用于 来追踪碳从源头的转移， 热液环境

This is a continuing and collaborative research effort with biologists on the hydrothermal emanations, primarily in Guaymas Basin, with follow up studies on material from the Northeastern Pacific (Middle Valley, Juan de Fuca and Gorda Ridges), African Rift Valley (Lake Tanganyika), and a hot spot under a continent (Yellowstone Park). The organic matter (petroleum) brought to the seabed by hydrothermal circulation represents the rapidly generated pyrolytic products from organic detritus at depth and is a carbon source for the hemosynthetic food web. This type of carbon cycling and its geological fate will be studied in a sedimented rift system which is hydrothermally.active, receiving primarily terrestrial organic detritus (Escanaba Trough). This will be done by coupling organic and isotope geochemistry to examine interrelationships between post.depositional pyrolytic alteration of organic matter (petroleum), biodegradation/weathering processes and chemosynthetic carbon fixation. Chemical reactions (e.g. aromatization, dehydration, isomerization) with temperature constraints also will be studied to define formation "windows" for different compound classes. The environmental fate of these compound classes will be examined to assess solubility, oxidative weathering and biodegradation. Key reactions and processes will be simulated in the laboratory by hydrous pyrolysis experiments. Carbon.14 dating of different organic matter fractions will place constraints on the sources and subbottom depths of the alteration of carbonaceous materials. Thus, molecular and isotopic signatures will be able to be used to trace the transfer of carbon from sources through these hydrothermal environments.