Chemical geothermometry: application to mud volcanic waters of the Caucasus region

Abstract

The generation temperatures of gas-water fluids released from mud volcanoes in different provinces of the Caucasian region have been constrained using Mg/Li (Т_Mg/Li) chemical geothermometry. Mud volcanic fluids in the Taman Peninsula (Kerch-Taman mud volcanic province) were generated at temperatures (Т_Mg/Li) from 41 to 137°С. The depths of the respective mud reservoirs estimated from Т_Mg/Li values and local geothermal gradient are in a range of 1.0 to 3.4 km which spans the Maykop Formation of marine shale. For the South Caspian province, the Т_Mg/Li values of waters vary from 18 to 137°C and the respective root depths Н_Mg/Li of mud volcanoes range from ~ 0.85 to 6.5 km. The obtained T_Mg/Li values for the analyzed mud volcanic waters from Caucasian provinces are in positive correlation with НСО₃⁻ contents and water oxygen isotope compositions ({\delta }_{18}{\mathrm{O}}_{{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}} and Δ{\delta }_{18}{\mathrm{O}}_{{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}}) and in high negative correlation with Cl⁻. The increase of Т_Mg/Li toward the Greater Caucasus Range, as well as the lateral T_Mg/Li patterns in the Taman and South Caspian mud volcanic provinces, support the idea that mud volcanic fluids generate at temperatures increasing progressively toward the Alpine orogenic belt.

Keywords

mud volcano / fluid / chemical geothermometry / stable isotopes / Caucasus region

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