Isotope geochemistry of thermal and nonthermal waters in the Valles caldera, Jemez Mountains, northern New Mexico
Over 100 stable isotope and 45 tritium analyses from thermal and nonthermal waters of the Jemez Mountains region, New Mexico, have been used to define the hydrodynamics of the Valles caldera (Baca) geothermal system and related geothermal fluids of the region. Evaluation of 36 cold meteoric waters yields an equation for the Jemez Mountains meteoric water line of deltaD = 8delta/sup 18/O+12, while further evaluation of nine cold meteoric waters yields an equation relating recharge elevation to deuterium content of E(meters) = -44.9 (deltaD)-1154. Based on the deuterium content of five Baca well waters (223/sup 0/--294/sup 0/C), the average recharge elevation of the Valles geothermal system ranges from 2530 to 2890 m. This range of elevations falls between the elevations of the lowest point of the caldera floor (2400 m) and the summit of the resurgent dome inside the caldera (3430 m). Thus stable isotopes indicate that the caldera depression probably serves as a recharge basin for the deep geothermal system. Although cold spring waters of the Jemez Mountains region consist of meteoric water, tritium analyses show that most of them contain water between 20 and 75 years old.
- Research Organization:
- Institut Mixte de Recherches Geothermiques, Bureau de Recherches Geologiques et Minieres, Orleans, France
- OSTI ID:
- 5962171
- Journal Information:
- J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Vol. 91:B2
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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