Collaborative Research (OSU and USC): Evaluating the Utility of Germanium Isotopes as a Paleoproxy

保存在硅藻中的海洋Ge：Si的记录显示了随时间的变化，反映了海洋Si循环随时间的变化。 的变化可能会受到风化热液输入的比例的变化，在蛋白石与非蛋白石相的Ge去除的相对速率的变化，或在海洋中的Si的内部循环和Ge的变化的影响：硅的分馏硅藻。 出于这个原因，来自俄勒冈州州立大学和南加州大学的一位科学家将研究锗同位素作为地球化学示踪剂的效用。 为实现这一目标，研究所计划分析河流、地热流体、沉积物孔隙沃茨和硅藻样品，以评估在低温风化、高温地热系统、成岩作用和硅藻吸收过程中是否存在Ge同位素分馏。 预计这项研究的结果将表明，锗同位素可用于区分风化和热液流体流动的相对速率。

ABSTRACTOCE-0326574OCE-0326575Records of oceanic Ge:Si preserved in diatoms show temporal variations that reflect changes in the marine Si cycle through time. The variations may be influenced by changes in the ratio of weathering to hydrothermal inputs, changes in the relative rates of Ge removal in opal versus non-opal phases or by changes in the internal cycling of Si in the ocean and the fractionation of Ge:Si by diatoms. For this reason, a scientist from Oregon State University and the University of Southern California will investigate the utility of germanium isotopes as a geochemical tracer. To attain this goal, the PIs plan to analyze samples from rivers, geothermal fluids, sediment pore waters and diatoms to assess whether there is Ge isotope fractionation during low-temperature weathering, in high-temperature geothermal systems, during diagenesis and during diatom uptake, respectively. It is anticipated that results from this study will show that Ge isotopes can be used to distinguish the relative rates of weathering and hydrothermal fluid flow.