Carbon and Oxygen Isotopic Composition of Surface-Sediment Carbonate in Bosten Lake (Xinjiang,China) and its Controlling Factors

Bosten Lake is a mid-latitude lake with water mainly supplied by melting ice and snow in the Tianshan Mountains. The depositional environment of the lake is spatially not uniform due to the proximity of the major inlet and the single outlet in the western part of the lake. The analytical results show that the carbon and oxygen isotopic composition of recent lake sediments is related to this specific lacustrine depositional environment and to the resulting carbonate mineralogy. In the southwestern lake region between the Kaidu River inlet and the Kongqi River outlet, carbon isotope composition （δ^13C） values of the carbonate sediment （-1‰ to -2‰） have no relation to the oxygen isotope composition of the carbonate （δ^18O） values （-7‰ to -8‰）, with both isotopes showing a low variability. The carbonate content is low （〈20%）. Carbonate minerals analyzed by X-ray diffraction are mainly composed of calcite, while aragonite was not recorded. The salinity of the lake water is low in the estuary region as a result of the Kaidu River inflow. In comparison, the carbon and oxygen isotope values are higher in the middle and eastern parts of the lake, with δ^13C values between approximately ＋0.5‰ and ＋3‰, and δ^18O values between -1‰ and -5‰. There is a moderate correlation between the stable oxygen and carbon isotopes, with a coefficient of correlation r of approximately 0.63. This implies that the lake water has a relatively short residence time. Carbonate minerals constitute calcite and aragonite in the middle and eastern region of the lake. Aragonite and Mg-calcite are formed at higher lake water salinity and temperatures, and larger evaporation effects. More saline lake water in the middle and eastern region of the lake and the enhanced isotopic equilibrium between water and atmospheric CO2 cause the correlating carbon and oxygen isotope values determined for aragonite and Mg-calcite. Evaporation and biological processes are the main reasons for the salinity and carbonate mineralogy influence of the surface-sediment carbonate in Bosten Lake. The lake water residence time and the CO2 exchange between the atmosphere and the water body control the carbon and oxygen isotope composition of the carbonate sediment. In addition, organic matter pollution and decomposition result in the abnormally low carbon isotope values of the lake surface-sediment carbonate.

Carbon cycle variability in tropical Atlantic across two Early Eocene hyperthermals

Early Eocene hyperthermals are geologically short-lived global warming events and represent fundamental perturbations to the global carbon cycle and the Earth’s ecosystem due to massive additions of isotopically light carbon to the ocean-atmosphere system.They serve as ancient analogs for understanding how the oceanic carbonate system and surface-ocean ecosystem would respond to ongoing and future climate change.Here,we present a continuous carbonate record across the Eocene Thermal Maximum 2(ETM2 or H1,ca.54.1 Ma)and H2(ca.54 Ma)events from an expanded section at Ocean Drilling Program Site 1258 in tropical Atlantic.The abundant calcareous nannofossils and moderate carbonate content throughout the studied interval suggest this record was deposited above the calcite compensation depth(CCD),but below the lysocline and under the influence of terrestrial dilution.An Earth system model cGENIE is used to simulate the carbon cycle dynamics across the ETM2 and H2 to offer insights on the mechanism of the rapid warming and subsequent recovery in climate and ecosystem.The model suggests moderate changes in ocean pH(0.1–0.2 unit)for the two scenarios,biogenic methane from a rechargeable methane capacitor and organic matter oxidation from thawing of the permafrost.These pH changes are consistent with a recent independent pH estimate across the ETM2 using boron isotopes.The carbon emission flux during the ETM2 is at least an order of magnitude smaller than that during the Paleocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum(PETM)(0.015–0.05 Pg C yr^(-1)vs.0.3–1.7 Pg C yr^(-1)).The comparable pre-and post-event carbonate contents suggest the lysocline did not over deepen following the ETM2 at this tropical Atlantic site,indicating spatial heterogeneity in the carbonate system due to strong dilution influence from terrestrial weathering and riverine discharge at Site 1258.

Carbon and Oxygen Isotope Stratigraphy of the Oxfordian Carbonate Rocks in Amu Darya Basin

Based on the detailed research on petrologic and geochemical characteristics of deposi- tion and diagenesis of Oxfordian carbonate rocks in Amu Darya Basin, Turkmenistan, carbon and oxygen isotopes were analyzed. The results show that the paleoenvironmental evolution reflected by the samples with well-preserved original carbon isotopes coincides with the carbon-isotope stratigraphic curve and is almost consistent with the global sea-level curve, the Mid-Oxfordian wide transgression, and the positive carbon-isotope excursion event. The Mid-Oxfordian continuing transgression not only laid the foundation for the development of the Oxfordian reef and shoal reservoirs in Amu Darya Basin but also provided an example for the Oxfordian global transgression and the resulting development of reefs and banks and high-speed organic carbon burial events. The response of oxygen isotopes in diagenetic environment showed that micrite limestones and granular limestones underwent weak diagenetic alteration, and the samples largely retained the original seawater features. Dolomitization and the precipitation of hydrothermal calcites filling solution vugs and fractures before hydrocarbon accumulation occurred in a closed diagenetic environment where the main controlling factor is the temperature, and the diagenetic fluids were from the deep hot brine. The chalkification of the lime- stones after hydrocarbon accumulation occurred in the oilfield water systems.

Tracing the Methane Events by Stable Carbon Isotopes of Benthic Foraminifera at Glacial Periods in the Andaman Sea

Stable isotopes of carbon and oxygen variations in foraminiferal shells have been widely used in paleo-environment studies.However,studies about the shells of benthic foraminifera in methanehydrate-bearing sediments as reliable geochemical proxies to reconstruct the potential methane release events in the geologic past are rare.In this study,we present the stable carbon and oxygen isotopes of fossil benthic foraminifera including one epifaunal species(Cibicidoides wuellerstorfi)and two infaunal species(Bulimina mexicana and Uvigerina peregrina)from the Site U1447 of IODP 353 Expedition to trace methane events in the Andaman Sea,where one of the thickest and deepest gas hydrate stability zones was discovered.Theδ^(13)C values of benthic foraminifera show that there are eight distinct intervals with negative values in the last~10 Myr,interpreted as a record of long-term fluctuations in methane emission.Six of these methane events occurred during the glacial sea-level lowstands in the last~1.1 Myr.We,therefore,infer that the trigger mechanism for these events might be the hydrate destabilization caused by sea level fall.The methane events that occurred at~2.11 and~5.93 Ma are more likely related to the sudden changes in sedimentation,either slide events or marked variations in sedimentation rate.

Sedimentation Geochemistry and Environmental Changes during the Late Pleistocene of Paleolake Qarhan in the Qaidam Basin

On the basis of the analyses of TOC, CaCO3, δ13Corg, δ18O, and δ13C of the shell bar section in the Qaidam basin, and compared with grain size data, the environmental change history of the high water level of paleolake Qarhan was reconstructed and it could be divided into five stages. From 39.7 to 35.8 kaBP was the development period of high paleolake level. From 35.8 to 33.6 kaBP and 33.6 to 27.2 kaBP, TOC and CaCO3 contents and δ18O values were high, whereas, δ13Corg values and median size content were low, reflecting a warm-humid climate and high lake level. During 27.2-22.3 kaBP and 22.3-17.5 kaBP, both temperature and the lake level were lower than those in the previous stages, but the climate was still warmer and more humid than that of today. The lake level decreased between 32.4 and 32.2 kaBP, 30.4 and 29.8 kaBP, and 28.4 and 27.2 kaBP. Generally, the climate was warm and humid in Qaidam basin and the high lake level sustained between 39.7 and 17.5 kaBP. The lake retreated abruptly at 17.5 kaBP, with a very strong increase in evaporation, which resulted in salt formation and the extinction of Corbicula.

Application and verification of simultaneous determination of cellulose δ^(13)C and δ^(18)O in Picea shrenkiana tree rings from northwestern China using the high-temperature pyrolysis method

Stable isotopes in tree-ring cellulose provide important data in ecological,archaeological,and paleoenvironmental researches,thereby,the demand for stable isotope analyses is increasing rapidly.Simultaneous measurement of cellulose δC and δO values from tree rings would reduce the cost of isotopic commodities and improve the analytical efficiency compared with conventional separate measurement.In this study,we compared the δC and δO values of tree-ringα-cellulose from Tianshan spruce(Picea schrenkiana)in an arid site in the drainage basin of the Urumqi River in Xinjiang of northwestern China based on separate and simultaneous measurements,using the combustion method(at1050°C)and the high-temperature pyrolysis method(at 1350°C and 1400°C).We verified the results of simultaneous measurement using the outputs from separate measurement and found that both methods(separate and simultaneous)produced similar δC values.The two-point calibrated method improved the results(range and variation)of δC and δO values.The mean values,standard deviations,and trends of the tree-ring δC obtained by the combustion method were similar to those by the pyrolysis method followed by two-point calibration.The simultaneously measured δO from the pyrolysis method at 1400°C had a nearly constant offset with that the pyrolysis method at 1350°C due to isotopic-dependence on the reaction temperature.However,they showed similar variations in the time series.The climate responses inferred from simultaneously and separately measured δC and δO did not differ between the two methods.The tree-ring δC and δO values were negatively correlated with standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index from May to August.In addition,the δO was significantly correlated with temperature(positive),precipitation(negative),and relative humidity(negative)from May to August.The tree-ring δC and δO values determined simultaneously through the high-temperature pyrolysis method could produce acceptable and reliable stable isotope series.The simultaneous isotopic measurement can greatly reduce the cost and time requirement compared with the separate isotopic measurement.These results are consistent with the previous studies at humid sites,suggesting that the simultaneous determination of δC and δO in tree-ringα-cellulose can be used in wide regions.