Characterization of Carbonate Crust from a Recently Discovered Methane Seep on the North Atlantic Continental Margin of the USA

Rinat Gabitov; Chiara Borrelli; Jacob Buettner; Brenda Kirkland; Adam Skarke; Dustin Trail; Brittany Garner; Maurice Testa; Mahnaz Wahidi; Christopher Hoff; Salavat Khasanov; Giuliana Panieri; Roobanvenkatesh Thirumalai; Jay Thomas; Jeremy Weremeichik; Irina Zverkova

doi:10.3390/min9030138

journal article Open Access Feb 26, 2019

Characterization of Carbonate Crust from a Recently Discovered Methane Seep on the North Atlantic Continental Margin of the USA

Rinat Gabitov

Chiara Borrelli

Jacob Buettner Brenda Kirkland Adam Skarke Dustin Trail

Brittany Garner Maurice Testa Mahnaz Wahidi Christopher Hoff Salavat Khasanov Giuliana Panieri Roobanvenkatesh Thirumalai

Jay Thomas Jeremy Weremeichik Irina Zverkova

Minerals Vol. 9 No. 3 pp. 138 · MDPI AG

View at Publisher Save 10.3390/min9030138

Abstract

This study is focused on mineralogical and chemical characterization of an authigenic carbonate rock (crust) collected at a recently discovered cold seep on the US North Atlantic continental margin. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicate that the carbonate rock is composed of microcrystalline aragonite cement, white acicular aragonite crystals (AcAr), equant quartz crystals, small microcrystalline aluminosilicates, and trace amounts of iron sulfide microcrystals. Element/calcium ratios were measured with laser ablation inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) using a calcite standard, which was prepared by annealing USGS certified carbonate powder (MACS-3). The occurrence of microscopic, non-carbonate inclusions precluded evaluation of trace elements in the aragonite cement, but allowed for in situ analysis of AcAr crystals. Carbon and oxygen isotopes were analyzed via isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) and expressed as δ13C and δ18O. Low δ13C values suggest that aragonite grew as a result of anaerobic oxidation of methane and observed δ18O values indicate that the temperature of aragonite crystallization was 1.7–1.9 °C.

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Details

Published: Feb 26, 2019
Vol/Issue: 9(3)
Pages: 138
License: View

Authors

R

Rinat Gabitov

Department of Geosciences, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA

C

Chiara Borrelli

Department Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA

J

Jacob Buettner

Department Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA

B

Brenda Kirkland

Department of Geosciences, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA

A

Adam Skarke

Department of Geosciences, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA

D

Dustin Trail

Department Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA

B

Brittany Garner

Department of Geosciences, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA

M

Maurice Testa

Department of Geosciences, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA

M

Mahnaz Wahidi

Department of Geosciences, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA

C

Christopher Hoff

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA

S

Salavat Khasanov

Institute of Solid State Physics, RAS, Chernogolovla 142432, Russia

G

Giuliana Panieri

Center for Arctic Gas Hydrate, Environment and Climate, The Arctic University of Norway in Tromsø (UiT), 9037 Tromsø, Norway

R

Roobanvenkatesh Thirumalai

Department of Geosciences, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA

J

Jay Thomas

Department of Earth Sciences, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA

J

Jeremy Weremeichik

Department of Physical and Life Sciences, Chadron State College, Chadron, NE 69337, USA

I

Irina Zverkova

Institute of Solid State Physics, RAS, Chernogolovla 142432, Russia

Cite This Article

Rinat Gabitov, Chiara Borrelli, Jacob Buettner, et al. (2019). Characterization of Carbonate Crust from a Recently Discovered Methane Seep on the North Atlantic Continental Margin of the USA. Minerals, 9(3), 138. https://doi.org/10.3390/min9030138

Characterization of Carbonate Crust from a Recently Discovered Methane Seep on the North Atlantic Continental Margin of the USA

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