Carbon dioxide and helium in hydrothermal fluids from Loihi Seamount, Hawaii, USA: Temporal variability and implications for the release of mantle volatiles

Journal Article · Tue Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1994 · Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-7037(94)90587-8· OSTI ID:7158894

Sedwick, P N; McMurtry, G M ^[1]; Hilton, D R ^[2]; Goff, F ^[3]

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1. Univ. of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI (United States)
2. Freie Universitaet Berlin (Germany)
3. Los Alamos National Laboratory, NM (United States)

Dissolved CO[sub 2], [delta][sup 13]C, He, and [sup 3]He/[sup 4]He were determined in warm (<30[degrees]C) hydrothermal fluids from Pele's Vents on the summit of Lihi Seamount, Hawaii, collected during DSRV Pisces V dives in August and September 1992. Total dissolved CO[sub 2] and He are highly enriched over ambient seawater, with maximum measured concentrations of 190 mmol/kg C[sub T] and 0.193 [mu]mol/kg He, and correlate linearly with dissolved Si concentration and sample temperature. Carbon dioxide [delta][sup 13]C values range from [minus]5.5 to 1.7% (PDB) and corrected [sup 3]He/[sup 4]He ratios from 21.7 to 27.0 R[sub a], indicating a primary magmatic source for both gases. The high concentrations of these volatiles in the vent waters relative to reported bulk concentrations in Lihi basalts suggest that both gases are most likely introduced into the fluids by direct degassing from a magma body, rather than hydrothermal extraction from the summit laves. Comparison of the [sup 3]He/[sup 4]He ratios of the vent waters with reported values for Loihi basalts suggests that the mantle-derived volatiles in the fluids are variably contaminated by radiogenic He, probably due to assimilation of basement rock by the source magma. Such a mechanism could also be responsible for the range of [sup 3]He/[sup 4]He ratios observed in lavas from Loihi. The data demonstrate remarkable temporal variation in the volatile content of the vent fluids. The authors suggest that these temporal changes reflect progressive degassing from a magmatic intrusion with significant fractionation of CO[sub 2] and He, a process which may also account for the range in C/He ratios of Lihi lavas.

• OSTI ID: 7158894
• Journal Information: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta; (United States), Journal Name: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta; (United States) Vol. 58:3; ISSN GCACAK; ISSN 0016-7037
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
580000* -- Geosciences
ABUNDANCE
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SYSTEMS
FLUIDS
GASES
GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS
HELIUM
HYDROTHERMAL SYSTEMS
NONMETALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RARE GASES