Abstract
Models for the formation of crustal granulites, which include the metamorphism of anhydrous lithologies1,2, the extraction of hygroscopic granite melts3,4 and fluxing by CO25–7 constrain the thermal and geochemical evolution of the lower crust and its interaction with mantle-derived volatiles. Here we present abundances and carbon isotope compositions of CO2 in fluid inclusions in quartz and garnet from gneiss–granulite pairs from the incipient char-nockite quarries of southern India, determined by a stepped combustion/thermal decrepitation carbon–extraction technique, which quantifies problematic sample contamination and allows precise lithological control. The results show that the CO2 in incipient charnockite is more abundant and isotopically heavier than the CO2 in associated gneiss, providing evidence for the influx of CO2-rich fluids during their formation. The inferred carbon isotope compositions of these fluids are consistent with a mantle source, and at Ponmudi, the isotopic composition of coexisting graphite and CO2 implies fluid/rock volume ratios in excess of 0.15.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Lamb, W. & Valley, J. W. Nature 312, 56–58 (1984).
Martignole, J. Precambr. Res. 9, 303–310 (1979).
Nesbitt, H. W. Contr. Miner. Petrol. 72, 303–310 (1980).
Pride, C. & Muecke, G. K. Contr. Miner. Petrol. 73, 403–412 (1980).
Hoefs, J. & Touret, J. Contr. Miner. Petrol. 52, 165–174 (1975).
Collerson, K. D. & Fryer, B. S. Contr. Miner. Petrol. 67, 151–167 (1978).
Newton, R. C., Smith, J. V. & Windley, B. F. Nature 288, 45–40 (1980).
Janardhan, A. S., Newton, R. C. & Smith, J. V. Nature 278, 511–517 (1979).
Friend, C. R. L. Nature 294, 550–552 (1981).
Newton, R. C. & Hansen, E. C. in The Nature of the Lower Crust (eds Dawson, J. B., Carswell, D. A., Hall, J. & Wedepohl, K. H.) Geol. Soc. spec. Publ. 24, 297–307 (1986).
Stahle, H. J., Raith, M., Hoernes, S. & Delfs, S. J. Petrology 28, 803–834 (1987).
Hansen, E. C., Jarnardhan, A. S., Newton, R. C., Prame, W. K. B. N. & Ravindra Kumar, G. R. Contr. Miner. Petrol. 96, 225–244 (1987).
Santosh, M. Lithos 19, 1–10 (1986).
Raith, M., Hoernes, S., Klatt, E. & Stahle, H. J. in Fluid movements. Element Transport and the Composition of the Deep Crust (ed. Bridgwater, D.) (Reidel, Dordrecht, in the press).
Drury, S. A., Harris, N. B. W., Holt, R. W., Reeves-Smith, G. J. & Wightman, R. T. J. Geol. 92, 3–20 (1984).
Swart, P. K., Grady, M. M. & Pillinger, C. T. Meteoritics 18, 137–154 (1983).
Kreulen, R. Contr. Miner. Petrol. 92, 28–32 (1988).
Pineau, F., Javoy, M., Behar, F. and Touret, J. Bull. minéral. 104, 630–641 (1981).
DesMarais, D. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 79, 21–26 (1986).
Santosh, M., Jackson, D. H., Mattey, D. P. & Harris, N. B. W. J. geol. Soc. India (in the press).
Bottinga, Y. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta. 3, 49–64 (1969).
Lamb, W., Valley, J. W. & Brown, P. E. Contr. Miner. Petrol. 96, 485–495 (1987).
Schuling, R. D. & Kreulen, R. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 43, 298–302 (1979).
Mattey, D. P. Terra Cogn. 7, 31–37 (1987).
Spooner, C. M. & Fairbairn, H. W. J. geophys. Res. 75, 6707–6713 (1970).
Grew, E. S. & Manton, W. J. J. geol. Soc. India 25, 193–195 (1984).
Buhl, D., Grauert, B. & Raith, M. Fortschr. Miner. 61, 43–45 (1983).
Buhl, D. thesis, Univ. Munster (1987).
Deans, T. & Powell, J. L. Nature 218, 750–752 (1968).
Subramanian, V. thesis, Indian Inst. Sci., Bangalore (1983).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Jackson, D., Mattey, D. & Harris, N. Carbon isotope compositions of fluid inclusions in charnockites from southern India. Nature 333, 167–170 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1038/333167a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/333167a0
This article is cited by
-
Hydrothermal — From Geology to Technology (Part 1)
Journal of the Geological Society of India (2022)
-
Vein graphite deposits: geological settings, origin, and economic significance
Mineralium Deposita (2014)
-
Behaviour of radiogenic Pb in zircon during ultrahigh-temperature metamorphism: an ion imaging and ion tomography case study from the Kerala Khondalite Belt, southern India
Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology (2014)
-
Charnockitic magmatism in southern India
Journal of Earth System Science (2004)
-
Wollastonite at Nuliyam, Kerala, southern India: a reassessment of CO2-infiltration and charnockite formation at a classic locality
Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology (1995)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
