Groundwater flow underneath mound spring tufas from geophysical surveys in the southwestern Great Artesian Basin, Australia

Inverarity, Kent; Heinson, Graham; Hatch, Michael

doi:10.1080/08120099.2016.1261942

Cited by 11 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 44 publications

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“…The high primary porosity allows the infiltration of waters that, at the surface, may still be involved in precipitation, but could change composition and initiate early diagenesis below (Frisia et al, 2002;Chafetz and Guidry, 2003). But also, very local scale, discontinuities (Bajo et al, 2016;Domínguez-Villar et al, 2017) and secondary porosity, like fractures, brecciation or desiccation cracks, can play an important role and provide efficient channels for infiltration, percolation, ascending fluids and lateral fluid circulation (Deitchman and Loheide, 2009;Frisia and Borsato, 2010;Gandin and Capezzuoli, 2014;Inverarity et al, 2016).…”

Section: Rates?mentioning

confidence: 99%

What do we really know about early diagenesis of non-marine carbonates?

Boever

Brasier

Foubert

et al. 2017

Sedimentary Geology

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Non-marine carbonate rocks including cave, spring, stream, calcrete and lacustrine-palustrine sediments, are susceptible to early diagenetic processes. These can profoundly alter the carbonate fabric and affect paleoclimatic proxies. This review integrates recent insights into diagenesis of non-marine carbonates and in particular the variety of early diagenetic processes, and presents a conceptual framework to address them. With ability to study at smaller and smaller scales, down to nanometers, one can now observe diagenesis taking place the moment initial precipitates have formed, and continuing thereafter. Diagenesis may affect whole rocks, but it typically starts in nano-and micro-environments. The potential for diagenetic alteration depends on the reactivity of the initial precipitate, commonly being metastable phases like vaterite, Ca-oxalates, hydrous Mg-carbonates and aragonite with regard to the ambient fluid. Furthermore, organic compounds commonly play a crucial role in hosting these early transformations. Processes like neomorphism (inversion and recrystallization), cementation and replacement generally result in an overall coarsening of the fabric and homogenization of the wide range of complex, primary microtextures. If early diagenetic modifications are completed in a short time span compared to the (annual to millennial) time scale of interest, then recorded paleoenvironmental signals and trends could still acceptably reflect original, depositional conditions. However, even compact, non-marine carbonate deposits may behave locally and temporarily as open systems to crystal-fluid exchange and overprinting of one or more geochemical proxies is not unexpected. Looking to the future, relatively few studies have examined the behaviour of promising geochemical records, such as clumped isotope thermometry and (non-conventional) stable isotopes, in well-constrained diagenetic settings. Ongoing and future in-vitro and in-situ experimental approaches will help to investigate and detangle sequences of intermediate, diagenetic products, processes and controls, and to quantify rates of early diagenesis, bridging a gap between nanoscale, molecular lab studies and the fossil field rock record of non-marine carbonates.

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Section: Rates?mentioning

confidence: 99%

What do we really know about early diagenesis of non-marine carbonates?

Boever

Brasier

Foubert

et al. 2017

Sedimentary Geology

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“…Geophysical evidence, in addition to the chemistry of the water emanating from Freeling Spring and Milne Spring indicates that the water is mostly sourced from the GAB- Halihan et al (this issue, 2019); Inverarity et al (2016). On the other hand, it is possible that groundwater recharge and circulation through the nearby, shallow basement is the source of elevated 14 C activities (>50 pMC) and radiogenic Sr seen in Tarlton Spring and Edith Spring to the east of the Peake and Denison Inlier.…”

Section: Spring Water Geochemistrymentioning

confidence: 99%

Hydrochemical variations of groundwater and spring discharge of the western Great Artesian Basin, Australia: implications for regional groundwater flow

et al. 2019

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The western Great Artesian Basin (GAB) is an important water source for pastoral and town water supplies, as well as for springs containing endemic flora and fauna, within arid Australia. This study focuses on the hydrochemical variations of groundwater and spring discharge in order to determine the major geochemical processes responsible for water quality and evolution across the western GAB. Regional hydrochemical trends within groundwater generally support the modern groundwater potentiometric surface and interpreted flow paths, highlighting that these approximately represent the long-term flow paths. Additionally, the regional chemical variations along the flow paths in the western GAB are complex, with their composition being a function of several controlling processes, including location of recharge, evapo-concentration, mixing and various water-rock interactions. These processes cause groundwater east of Lake Eyre to be predominantly of Na-HCO 3 type, whereas groundwater originating from the western margin is of Na-Cl-(-SO 4 ) type. The GAB springs appear to be discharging water predominantly from the main GAB aquifer, the J Aquifer; however, a component of the discharging water from several springs is from a source other than the J Aquifer. Current understanding of the hydrochemical variations of groundwater and spring discharge of the western GAB can help provide constraints on groundwater flow, as well as provide an understanding of the geochemical and hydrological processes responsible for water quality evolution.

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“…This mound is ca 2 m in height, covers an area of ca 6713 m 2 , and is characterized by a very gentle slope. Self-Potential measurements suggest that the spring is located on faults that provide a conduit to the surface (Inverarity et al, 2016). Flowing water has created shallow stream channels along the flanks of the mound (Fig.…”

Section: Warburton and Beresford Spring Complexesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Crystallization pathways in the Great Artesian Basin (Australia) spring mound carbonates: Implications for life signatures on Earth and beyond

Franchi

Frisia

2020

Sedimentology

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Recent studies of continental carbonates revealed that carbonates with similar fabrics can be formed either by biotic, biologically‐induced, biologically‐influenced or purely abiotic processes, or a combination of all. The aim of this research is to advance knowledge on the formation of carbonates precipitated (or diagenetically altered) in extreme, continental environments by studying biotic versus abiotic mechanisms of crystallization, and to contribute to the astrobiology debate around terrestrial analogues of Martian extreme environments. Both fossil (upper Pleistocene to Holocene) and active carbonate spring mounds from the Great Artesian Basin (South Australia) have been investigated. These carbonates consist of low‐Mg to high‐Mg calcite tufa. Four facies have been described: (i) carbonate mudstone/wackestone; (ii) phytohermal framestone/boundstone; (iii) micrite boundstone; and (iv) coarsely crystalline boundstone. The presence of filaments encrusted by micrite, rich in organic compounds, including ultraviolet‐protectants, in phytohermal framestone/boundstone and micrite boundstone is clear evidence of the existence of microbial mats at the time of deposition. In contrast, peloidal micrite, despite commonly being considered a microbial precipitate, is not directly associated with filaments in the Great Artesian Basin mounds. It has probably formed from nanocrystal aggregation on colloid particulate. Thus, where biofilms have been documented, it is likely that bacteria catalyzed the development of fabrics. It is less certain that microbes induced calcium carbonate precipitation elsewhere. Trace elements, including rare earth element distribution from laminated facies, highlight strongly evaporative settings (for example, high Li contents). Carbon dioxide degassing and evaporation are two of the main drivers for an increase in fluid alkalinity, resulting in precipitation of carbonates. Hence, although the growth of certain fabrics is fostered by the presence of microbial mats, the formation of carbonate crystals might be independent from it and mainly driven by extrinsic factors. More generally, biological processes may be responsible for fabric and facies development in micritic boundstone whilst micrite nucleation and growth are driven by abiotic factors. Non‐classical crystallization pathways (aggregation and fusion of nanoparticles from nucleation clusters) may be more common than previously thought in spring carbonate and this should be carefully considered to avoid misinterpretation of certain fabrics as by‐products of life. It is proposed here that the term ‘organic‐compound catalyzed mineralization’ should be used for crystal growth in the presence of organic compounds when dealing with astrobiological problems. This term would account for the possibility of multiple crystallization pathways (including non‐classical crystallization) that occurred directly from an aqueous solution without the direct influence of microbial mats.

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Groundwater flow underneath mound spring tufas from geophysical surveys in the southwestern Great Artesian Basin, Australia

Cited by 11 publications

References 44 publications

What do we really know about early diagenesis of non-marine carbonates?

What do we really know about early diagenesis of non-marine carbonates?

Hydrochemical variations of groundwater and spring discharge of the western Great Artesian Basin, Australia: implications for regional groundwater flow

Crystallization pathways in the Great Artesian Basin (Australia) spring mound carbonates: Implications for life signatures on Earth and beyond

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