Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Noble gas composition of deep brines from the Palo Duro basin, Texas

Journal Article · · Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta; (United States)
Deep groundwaters in sedimentary basins can be sufficiently old (> 10 m.y.) to have accumulated both radiogenic /sup 4/He and /sup 40/Ar*. Differences in the ratio of (U + Th)/K for aquifer lithologies lead to variations for /sup 4/He//sup 40/Ar* in the groundwater. These variations can be used to resolve chronologically significant noble gas components. Application of a binary model to brine samples from the Palo Duro Basin, Texas yields (U, Th)-/sup 4/He residence times of 100 to 300 m.y. Concentrations of two non-radiogenic noble gases (/sup 20/Ne and /sup 36/Ar) provide information on the salinities of the water that recharged these aquifers.
Research Organization:
Bendix Field Engineering Corp., Grand Junction, CO
OSTI ID:
7097510
Journal Information:
Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta; (United States), Journal Name: Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta; (United States) Vol. 51:1; ISSN GCACA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English