does tritium in groundwater gets affected by heating OR would hot geothermal water be expected to preserve the meteoric 3H signature, assuming hydraulic connectivity between meteoric and subsurface systems?
Dear Abhijit Mukherjee,
even water (like the solved chemical species) undergoes equilibration with water in the respective environment (e.g. "deep groundwater", crystal water of minerals, or the water content of clays). Equlibration depends on mass (normal water or tritiated water) and temperature.
So, the answer to your question is absolutely YES.
Regards
PF
Dear Abhijit Mukherjee,
Peter's answer is right in terms of isotope fractionation. However, in the case of hydrothermal environments, the trtium of hot water and steam mainly depends on that of the recharge water, due to the following facts: 1) hydrogen is rare in minerals and therefore tritium; 2) old water traped in the minerals in whhatever forms, is tritium free, because of radioactive decay through time; 3) in-situ generation of tritium by the rocks is minor, usually less than 2 TU. There is litereiture on this.
In conclusion, tritium can be used as a tracer to test possible connection between a deep geothermal reservoir and a shallow freshwater aquifer.
Hope it helps, cheers!
Zhonghe
Hi Peter and Zhonghe
Thanks for your prompt response. However, I am just wondering if volatilzation, evaporation and/or fugacity will influence enhanced 3H loss or fractionation? For e.g. I know that 18O or 2H do get affected.
So the specific question is that can the 3H date calculated from hot springs are any reliable??
Will love to know and discuss more
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