Abu Dhabi sabkha, Persian Gulf, revisited: Application of strontium isotopes to test an early dolomitization model

Journal Article · Sun Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1990 · Geology; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1990)018<0618:ADSPGR>2.3.CO;2· OSTI ID:6212950

Mueller, D W; McKenzie, J A ^[1]; Mueller, P A ^[2]

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1. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zuerick (Switzerland)
2. Univ. of Florida, Gainesville (USA)

A study of brines and diagenetically altered minerals from coastal sabkha of Abu Dhabi, Persian Gulf, was undertaken to test the flood recharge-evaporative pumping model for early dolomitization using strontium isotopes as a tracer. The {sup 87}Sr/{sup 86}Sr ratio of the sabkha brines defines a pattern of both horizontal and vertical mixing of coastal seawater and continental ground water consistent with a previously proposed model. The {sup 87}Sr/{sup 86}Sr ratio of the diagenetic dolomites indicates early dolomitization by marine recharge waters. The {sup 87}Sr/{sup 86}Sr ratio of gypsum from the dolomitization area (1.4 to 4.4 km from high-tide mark) and seaward reflects precipitation from marine brines, but more landward (6 to 9 km), gypsum and anhydrite record a continental signal in the minerals suggests a paragenetic evaporative sequence (dolomite {yields} gypsum {yields} anhydrite). The dolomitizing fluid is evaporated seawater that recharges the sabkha aquifer during supratidal flooding and is afterward pumped upward through the saturated zone by evaporative processes.

• OSTI ID: 6212950
• Journal Information: Geology; (USA), Journal Name: Geology; (USA) Vol. 18:7; ISSN GLGYB; ISSN 0091-7613
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
580000* -- Geosciences
ALKALINE EARTH ISOTOPES
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
ANHYDRITE
AQUIFERS
ASIA
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BRINES
CALCIUM CARBONATES
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CALCIUM SULFATES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBONATE MINERALS
CARBONATES
CONTINENTAL CRUST
DIAGENESIS
DISASTERS
DOLOMITE
EARTH CRUST
ELECTRON CAPTURE RADIOISOTOPES
EVAPORATION
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
FLOODS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC HISTORY
GEOLOGIC MODELS
GROUND WATER
GYPSUM
HOURS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
MAGNESIUM CARBONATES
MAGNESIUM COMPOUNDS
MINERALIZATION
MINERALS
MIXING
NUCLEI
ORIGIN
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PRECIPITATION
RADIOISOTOPES
RECHARGE
SEAWATER
SEPARATION PROCESSES
STABLE ISOTOPES
STRONTIUM 86
STRONTIUM 87
STRONTIUM ISOTOPES
SULFATE MINERALS
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
WATER