Phaeodarian radiolarians as potential indicators of thermal maturation
Phaeodarian radiolarian skeletons contain large amounts of organic matter, and discolored phaeodarian skeletons are observed in the fossil record, which suggests that the skeletons may be useful as thermal maturation indicators. Such a maturation index would be useful in Monterey-type rocks that are difficult to interpret with conventional thermal maturation indexes. Phaeodarians extracted from plankton samples, Holocene Santa Barbara and Orca basin sediments, and Neogene Monterey rocks with siliceous facies were subjected to different temperatures of varying duration in pyrolysis experiments. To calibrate the observed phaeodarian color changes with a known standard, Holocene pine pollen were subjected to the same treatment. These phaeodarian go through the same color change spectrum as do the pollen, but they appear to lag slightly behind the pollen color changes.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of San Diego, CA
- OSTI ID:
- 6987674
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-8604187-
- Journal Information:
- Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol., Bull.; (United States), Vol. 70:4; Conference: American Association of Petroleum Geologist Pacific Section convention, Bakersfield, CA, USA, 16 Apr 1986
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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