Stability of carbonates during subduction: the role of dissolution in dehydration fluids

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Abstract

The dissolution of carbonates in dehydration fluids during subduction can significantly affect the efficiency of carbonate transport to the mantle and, in general, influence the deep carbon cycle. This study provides experimental data on the solubility of aragonite in aqueous fluids with varying NaCl content, measured at pressures and temperatures typical of an average subduction geotherm. At 3.0 GPa and 750°C, the solubility of aragonite in aqueous fluids is found to be 2.4±0.2 wt. %, which is consistent with previous estimates. It is demonstrated for the first time that at 5.5 GPa and 850°C, the solubility of aragonite increases significantly, reaching 12.1±0.6 wt. %. Moreover, increasing the NaCl concentration in the aqueous fluid up to 9 wt. % does not affect the solubility of aragonite within the measurement error. Therefore, aqueous fluids formed at pressures above 5.5 GPa during the dehydration of serpentinized oceanic lithosphere can facilitate the dissolution and removal of a substantial amount of subducted carbonates into the surrounding mantle.

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About the authors

A. N. Kruk

V.S. Sobolev Institute of Geology and Mineralogy Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Author for correspondence.
Email: KrukAN@igm.nsc.ru
Russian Federation, Novosibirsk

A. G. Sokol

V.S. Sobolev Institute of Geology and Mineralogy Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Email: KrukAN@igm.nsc.ru
Russian Federation, Novosibirsk

A. F. Khokhryakov

V.S. Sobolev Institute of Geology and Mineralogy Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Email: KrukAN@igm.nsc.ru
Russian Federation, Novosibirsk

Yu. N. Palyanov

V.S. Sobolev Institute of Geology and Mineralogy Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Email: KrukAN@igm.nsc.ru

Corresponding Member of the RAS

Russian Federation, Novosibirsk

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Supplementary files

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2. Fig. 2. Crystals of newly formed aragonite obtained at 3.0 GPa and 750°C (a, b) and at 5.5 GPa and 850°C (c).

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3. Fig. 3. Forms of quenched aragonite precipitation obtained at 3.0 GPa and 750°C (a, b) and at 5.5 GPa and 850°C (c). (a) dendrites in the volume of the ampoule, (b, c) microcrystals on the surface of newly formed crystals and dissolved fragments of the original aragonite.

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4. Fig. 1. Fragments of aragonite crystals after experiments at 3.0 GPa and 750°C.

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5. Fig. 4. Comparison of experimentally obtained values ​​of aragonite solubility (in terms of ppm carbon (C)) in aqueous fluid at 3.0 GPa and 750°C, as well as at 5.5 GPa and 850°C, with values ​​obtained by the Deep Earth Water calculation model [3]. Isolines indicate the concentration of ppm C.

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