Hydrothermal vent waters at 13°N on the East Pacific Rise: isotopic composition and gas concentration

Abstract

Gas concentrations and isotopic compositions of water have been measured in hydrothermal waters from 13°N on the East Pacific Rise. In the most Mg-depleted samples (≌ 5 × 10−3 moles/kg) the gas concentrations are: 3–4.5 × 10−5 cm3 STP/kg helium, 0.62–1.24 cm3 STP/kg CH4, 10.80–16.71 × 10−3 moles/kg CO2. The samples contain large quantities (95–126 cm3/kg) of H2 and some carbon monoxide (0.26–0.36 cm3/kg) which result from reaction with the titanium sampling bottles. δ13C in methane and CO2 (−16.6 to −19.5 and −4.1 to −5.5 respectively) indicate temperatures between 475 and 550°C, whereas δ13CCO is compatible with formation by reduction of CO2 on Ti at 350°C close to the sampling temperature.3He/4He are very homogeneous at (7.5 ± 0.1)RA(3He/4He = 1.0 × 10−5) and very similar to already published data as well as CH4/3He ratios between 1.4 and 2.1 × 106.18O and D in water show enrichments from 0.39 to 0.69‰ and from 0.62 to 1.49‰ respectively. These values correspond to W/R ratios of 0.4–7. The distinct18O enrichments indicate that the isotopic composition of the oceans is not completely buffered by the hydrothermal circulations. The3He-enthalpy relationship is discussed in terms of both hydrothermal heat flux and3He mantle flux.