Use of cold waters geochemistry as a geothermal prospecting tool for hidden hydrothermal systems in Réunion Island
Abstract Most untapped high-enthalpy geothermal resources are blind, meaning lacking surface evidence of their existence. The first step in their discovery is to find evidence of hydrothermal activity. Here we apply an approach based on the geochemistry of cold waters, which allowed us to identify e...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Communications Earth & Environment |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01210-3 |
| _version_ | 1797273111600562176 |
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| author | Bhavani Bénard Vincent Famin Pierre Agrinier Pascale Louvat Geneviève Lebeau Pierre Burckel |
| author_facet | Bhavani Bénard Vincent Famin Pierre Agrinier Pascale Louvat Geneviève Lebeau Pierre Burckel |
| author_sort | Bhavani Bénard |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Most untapped high-enthalpy geothermal resources are blind, meaning lacking surface evidence of their existence. The first step in their discovery is to find evidence of hydrothermal activity. Here we apply an approach based on the geochemistry of cold waters, which allowed us to identify evidence of the existence of a hydrothermal system at Piton de la Fournaise volcano (Réunion Island), and constrain its location. This approach uses the concentrations in B, Li, SO4, F, Mo, P, V, As and HCO3 and the isotopic ratios δ13C and δ11B as geochemical markers of hydrothermal activity that can be used even in waters with extremely low ion content (Electrical conductivity <80 µS/cm), and even when their geochemical composition is mainly controlled by other processes. This noninvasive approach is easy to implement and can be applied wherever the presence of a blind geothermal system is suspected. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T14:38:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8cb453e0e68a4a469c9a12dd4a080608 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2662-4435 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T14:38:56Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Communications Earth & Environment |
| spelling | doaj.art-8cb453e0e68a4a469c9a12dd4a0806082024-03-05T20:27:46ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Earth & Environment2662-44352024-01-015111010.1038/s43247-024-01210-3Use of cold waters geochemistry as a geothermal prospecting tool for hidden hydrothermal systems in Réunion IslandBhavani Bénard0Vincent Famin1Pierre Agrinier2Pascale Louvat3Geneviève Lebeau4Pierre Burckel5Université de Paris, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, CNRSUniversité de Paris, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, CNRSUniversité de Paris, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, CNRSUniversité de Paris, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, CNRSUniversité de Paris, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, CNRSUniversité de Paris, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, CNRSAbstract Most untapped high-enthalpy geothermal resources are blind, meaning lacking surface evidence of their existence. The first step in their discovery is to find evidence of hydrothermal activity. Here we apply an approach based on the geochemistry of cold waters, which allowed us to identify evidence of the existence of a hydrothermal system at Piton de la Fournaise volcano (Réunion Island), and constrain its location. This approach uses the concentrations in B, Li, SO4, F, Mo, P, V, As and HCO3 and the isotopic ratios δ13C and δ11B as geochemical markers of hydrothermal activity that can be used even in waters with extremely low ion content (Electrical conductivity <80 µS/cm), and even when their geochemical composition is mainly controlled by other processes. This noninvasive approach is easy to implement and can be applied wherever the presence of a blind geothermal system is suspected.https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01210-3 |
| spellingShingle | Bhavani Bénard Vincent Famin Pierre Agrinier Pascale Louvat Geneviève Lebeau Pierre Burckel Use of cold waters geochemistry as a geothermal prospecting tool for hidden hydrothermal systems in Réunion Island Communications Earth & Environment |
| title | Use of cold waters geochemistry as a geothermal prospecting tool for hidden hydrothermal systems in Réunion Island |
| title_full | Use of cold waters geochemistry as a geothermal prospecting tool for hidden hydrothermal systems in Réunion Island |
| title_fullStr | Use of cold waters geochemistry as a geothermal prospecting tool for hidden hydrothermal systems in Réunion Island |
| title_full_unstemmed | Use of cold waters geochemistry as a geothermal prospecting tool for hidden hydrothermal systems in Réunion Island |
| title_short | Use of cold waters geochemistry as a geothermal prospecting tool for hidden hydrothermal systems in Réunion Island |
| title_sort | use of cold waters geochemistry as a geothermal prospecting tool for hidden hydrothermal systems in reunion island |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01210-3 |
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