Stable hydrogen isotopic composition of hydrocarbons in torbanites (Late Carboniferous to Late Permian) deposited under various climatic conditions

We measured the stable hydrogen isotopic composition (δD) of selected aliphatic compounds in torbanites from Scotland and Australia, covering the Late Carboniferous to the Late Permian. The torbanites contain organic matter predominantly from a single algal source, Botryococcus braunii, and are of s...

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Main Authors: Dawson, Daniel, Grice, Kliti, Wang, Sue, Alexander, Robert
Format: Journal Article
Published: Elsevier 2004
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/12940
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author Dawson, Daniel
Grice, Kliti
Wang, Sue
Alexander, Robert
author_facet Dawson, Daniel
Grice, Kliti
Wang, Sue
Alexander, Robert
author_sort Dawson, Daniel
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description We measured the stable hydrogen isotopic composition (δD) of selected aliphatic compounds in torbanites from Scotland and Australia, covering the Late Carboniferous to the Late Permian. The torbanites contain organic matter predominantly from a single algal source, Botryococcus braunii, and are of similar thermal maturity. The δD values of n-alkanes in the extracts appear to reflect the depositional palaeoclimate of each torbanite, in response to the typical δD values of meteoric waters. The δD values of n-alkanes in torbanites deposited at high latitude under glacial conditionsare depleted in deuterium by up to 70% relative to n-alkanes in a torbanite deposited at low latitude under a tropical climate regime. Torbanites deposited in mid-latitude regions under cool-temperature conditions contain n-alkanes with δD values between those of n-alkanes in tropical and glacial sediments. A saw-toothed profile of δD values obtained for the n-alkanes in the Australian torbanites is attributed to a dual-source system, perhaps a predominant B. braunii input with a second minor contribution from land plants. Pristane and phytane from two Australian torbanites are significantly depleted in deuterium relative to n-alkanes in the same samples and a significant difference between the δD values of pristane and phytane is suggested to be caused by different sources for the two isoprenoids, or isotope effects associated with their derivation from a common phytol precursor. The offset between the δD of values of n-alkanes and isoprenoids is similar to that found in modern biological samples, indicating that their indigenous δD signatures may have been preserved for at least 260-280 million years.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-129402017-09-13T16:03:15Z Stable hydrogen isotopic composition of hydrocarbons in torbanites (Late Carboniferous to Late Permian) deposited under various climatic conditions Dawson, Daniel Grice, Kliti Wang, Sue Alexander, Robert We measured the stable hydrogen isotopic composition (δD) of selected aliphatic compounds in torbanites from Scotland and Australia, covering the Late Carboniferous to the Late Permian. The torbanites contain organic matter predominantly from a single algal source, Botryococcus braunii, and are of similar thermal maturity. The δD values of n-alkanes in the extracts appear to reflect the depositional palaeoclimate of each torbanite, in response to the typical δD values of meteoric waters. The δD values of n-alkanes in torbanites deposited at high latitude under glacial conditionsare depleted in deuterium by up to 70% relative to n-alkanes in a torbanite deposited at low latitude under a tropical climate regime. Torbanites deposited in mid-latitude regions under cool-temperature conditions contain n-alkanes with δD values between those of n-alkanes in tropical and glacial sediments. A saw-toothed profile of δD values obtained for the n-alkanes in the Australian torbanites is attributed to a dual-source system, perhaps a predominant B. braunii input with a second minor contribution from land plants. Pristane and phytane from two Australian torbanites are significantly depleted in deuterium relative to n-alkanes in the same samples and a significant difference between the δD values of pristane and phytane is suggested to be caused by different sources for the two isoprenoids, or isotope effects associated with their derivation from a common phytol precursor. The offset between the δD of values of n-alkanes and isoprenoids is similar to that found in modern biological samples, indicating that their indigenous δD signatures may have been preserved for at least 260-280 million years. 2004 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/12940 10.1016/j.orggeochem.2003.09.004 Elsevier restricted
spellingShingle Dawson, Daniel
Grice, Kliti
Wang, Sue
Alexander, Robert
Stable hydrogen isotopic composition of hydrocarbons in torbanites (Late Carboniferous to Late Permian) deposited under various climatic conditions
title Stable hydrogen isotopic composition of hydrocarbons in torbanites (Late Carboniferous to Late Permian) deposited under various climatic conditions
title_full Stable hydrogen isotopic composition of hydrocarbons in torbanites (Late Carboniferous to Late Permian) deposited under various climatic conditions
title_fullStr Stable hydrogen isotopic composition of hydrocarbons in torbanites (Late Carboniferous to Late Permian) deposited under various climatic conditions
title_full_unstemmed Stable hydrogen isotopic composition of hydrocarbons in torbanites (Late Carboniferous to Late Permian) deposited under various climatic conditions
title_short Stable hydrogen isotopic composition of hydrocarbons in torbanites (Late Carboniferous to Late Permian) deposited under various climatic conditions
title_sort stable hydrogen isotopic composition of hydrocarbons in torbanites (late carboniferous to late permian) deposited under various climatic conditions
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/12940