Fluid Pressure Changes Recorded by Trace Elements in Quartz
Abstract Fluid pressure is a key parameter in earthquake mechanics, controlling seismic failure and plate coupling in convergent zones. Yet fluid pressure is also extremely difficult to quantify at seismogenic depth, which limits our knowledge of the stress state in accretionary prisms. Here, we sho...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2022-10-01
|
| Series: | Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GC010346 |
| _version_ | 1797638110381604864 |
|---|---|
| author | Hugues Raimbourg Vincent Famin Aurélien Canizarès Emmanuel Le Trong |
| author_facet | Hugues Raimbourg Vincent Famin Aurélien Canizarès Emmanuel Le Trong |
| author_sort | Hugues Raimbourg |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Fluid pressure is a key parameter in earthquake mechanics, controlling seismic failure and plate coupling in convergent zones. Yet fluid pressure is also extremely difficult to quantify at seismogenic depth, which limits our knowledge of the stress state in accretionary prisms. Here, we show that the geochemical record of exhumed hydrothermal quartz veins may be used to place quantitative bounds on fluid pressure variations in subduction zones. The studied veins come from sediments accreted and exhumed by plate convergence in southwestern Japan. Quartz in veins displays growth rims of contrasted bright blue/dark brown cathodoluminescence (CL) colors, high/low Al concentrations, and low/high fluid inclusion abundance. Because Si‐Al substitution (and charge compensation by Li) strongly depends on the rate of quartz precipitation and Si solubility, Al‐Li concentrations must be sensitive to fluid pressure. This is confirmed by fluid inclusions, the density of which, converted into trapping pressures, record fluid pressure drops by up to ∼70 MPa from CL‐brown, Al‐Li‐poor rims to CL‐blue, Al‐Li‐rich quartz rims. CL‐blue rims grow at a fast rate, high Si supersaturation and low fluid pressure whereas CL‐brown rims grow at a slower pace, lower Si supersaturation, and higher fluid pressure. Quartz trace element chemistry thus offers a promising tool to quantify deep fluid pressure variations and their relationships to earthquakes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T12:57:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-caf2bf960cbf4ebe804f7a7087d893c1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1525-2027 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T12:57:54Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems |
| spelling | doaj.art-caf2bf960cbf4ebe804f7a7087d893c12023-11-03T16:56:07ZengWileyGeochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems1525-20272022-10-012310n/an/a10.1029/2022GC010346Fluid Pressure Changes Recorded by Trace Elements in QuartzHugues Raimbourg0Vincent Famin1Aurélien Canizarès2Emmanuel Le Trong3Institut des Sciences de la Terre d'Orléans, UMR 7327, CNRS, BRGM, Université d’Orléans Orléans FranceUniversité de Paris, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, CNRS Paris FranceCEMHTI, CNRS Orléans FranceInstitut des Sciences de la Terre d'Orléans, UMR 7327, CNRS, BRGM, Université d’Orléans Orléans FranceAbstract Fluid pressure is a key parameter in earthquake mechanics, controlling seismic failure and plate coupling in convergent zones. Yet fluid pressure is also extremely difficult to quantify at seismogenic depth, which limits our knowledge of the stress state in accretionary prisms. Here, we show that the geochemical record of exhumed hydrothermal quartz veins may be used to place quantitative bounds on fluid pressure variations in subduction zones. The studied veins come from sediments accreted and exhumed by plate convergence in southwestern Japan. Quartz in veins displays growth rims of contrasted bright blue/dark brown cathodoluminescence (CL) colors, high/low Al concentrations, and low/high fluid inclusion abundance. Because Si‐Al substitution (and charge compensation by Li) strongly depends on the rate of quartz precipitation and Si solubility, Al‐Li concentrations must be sensitive to fluid pressure. This is confirmed by fluid inclusions, the density of which, converted into trapping pressures, record fluid pressure drops by up to ∼70 MPa from CL‐brown, Al‐Li‐poor rims to CL‐blue, Al‐Li‐rich quartz rims. CL‐blue rims grow at a fast rate, high Si supersaturation and low fluid pressure whereas CL‐brown rims grow at a slower pace, lower Si supersaturation, and higher fluid pressure. Quartz trace element chemistry thus offers a promising tool to quantify deep fluid pressure variations and their relationships to earthquakes.https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GC010346quartzgeochemistryearthquakesfluidstrace elements |
| spellingShingle | Hugues Raimbourg Vincent Famin Aurélien Canizarès Emmanuel Le Trong Fluid Pressure Changes Recorded by Trace Elements in Quartz Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems quartz geochemistry earthquakes fluids trace elements |
| title | Fluid Pressure Changes Recorded by Trace Elements in Quartz |
| title_full | Fluid Pressure Changes Recorded by Trace Elements in Quartz |
| title_fullStr | Fluid Pressure Changes Recorded by Trace Elements in Quartz |
| title_full_unstemmed | Fluid Pressure Changes Recorded by Trace Elements in Quartz |
| title_short | Fluid Pressure Changes Recorded by Trace Elements in Quartz |
| title_sort | fluid pressure changes recorded by trace elements in quartz |
| topic | quartz geochemistry earthquakes fluids trace elements |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GC010346 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT huguesraimbourg fluidpressurechangesrecordedbytraceelementsinquartz AT vincentfamin fluidpressurechangesrecordedbytraceelementsinquartz AT aureliencanizares fluidpressurechangesrecordedbytraceelementsinquartz AT emmanuelletrong fluidpressurechangesrecordedbytraceelementsinquartz |