Coal Petrologic Investigation of Tropical and Subtropical Peats

本研究的目的是调查 岩相学和孢粉学特征，表面作用 的形成，以及煤化的早期阶段， 对比鲜明的热带和亚热带泥炭矿床位于 加勒比/南佛罗里达地区。 这项研究代表了 继续以前由NSF支持的工作，重点是 某些研究中心和某些研究中心的新研究和/或后续研究 有前途的新的分析技术开发过程中， 前期工作（如人工煤化实验）。 三个热带和一个亚热带成煤环境 被选中进行研究：1）莫因海岸，科斯塔棕榈沼泽 哥斯达黎加; 2）巴拿马的Changuinola沼泽湿地复合体; 3） 波多黎各的阿雷西博锯草-红树林沼泽;以及4） 佛罗里达的大沼泽-红树林沼泽-沼泽复合体。 尽管所有 这些设置有相似之处，每一个展示一个或多个 与其他人有显著差异，并被选中，因为 预计它将产生新的和重要的信息， 来解释和预测这些物质的组成和几何形状 文献中报道的古代煤炭 形成于热带海岸线相关的环境中。 由于重点 上一笔赠款是针对巴拿马和哥斯达黎加的矿床， 该提案将重点放在阿雷西博和大沼泽地 存款 本研究采用的方法包括：1） 实地测量pH值、盐度和其他表面状况; 2)泥炭层系野外描述：3）地表采集 凋落物和表面样品; 4）定向活塞芯的收集; 5)透射、反射和荧光显微镜， 6）低温灰化和X射线 用于评估矿物含量的衍射;以及7）花粉 分析地表和地下样品， 放射性碳测年，用于解释古生态和 矿床的发展历史。

The purpose of this research is to investigate the petrographic and palynologic characteristics, surficial processes of formation, and early stages of coalification of several contrasting tropical and subtropical peat deposits located in the Caribbean/S. Florida region. This research represents a continuation of work previously supported by NSF, with emphasis on new and/or follow-up studies of certain sites and on certain promising new analytical techniques developed during the course of the previous work (such as, artificial coalification experiments). Three tropical and one subtropical coal-forming settings have been selected for study :1) the Moin coastal, palm swamp of Costa Rica; 2) the Changuinola swamp-marsh complex of Panama; 3) the Arecibo sawgrass-mangrove swamp of Puerto Rico; and 4) the Everglades-mangrove swamp-marsh complex of Florida. Although all of these settings have similarities, each exhibits one or more significant differences from the others and was selected because it is expected to yield new and essential information with which to interpret and predict the composition and geometry of the many ancient coals that have been reported in the literature to have formed in tropical shoreline-related settings. Since the focus of the previous grant was on the deposits in Panama and Costa Rica, this proposal puts more emphasis on the Arecibo and Everglades deposits. The methodology to be employed in this study will include: 1) field measurements of pH, salinity and other surface conditions; 2) field descriptions of peat sequences: 3) collection of surface litter and surface samples; 4) collection of oriented piston cores; 5) transmitted, reflected, and fluorescent light microscopy from microtome thin sections; 6) low temperature ashing and x-ray diffraction for assessment of mineralogic content; and 7) pollen analysis of surface and subsurface samples combined with radiocarbon dating, for interpreting the paleoecological and developmental history of the deposits.