Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

The boron isotope systematics of Icelandic geothermal waters: 1. Meteoric water charged systems

February 21, 2000

We have measured the boron isotope composition and boron and chloride concentrations of 27 Icelandic geothermal fluids from both high- and low-temperature systems. The δ11B values range from −6.7‰ in the Krafla system, to +25.0‰ in a warm spring from the Southern Lowlands. In addition, we have also determined the δ11B values of basaltic glass from Nesjavellir (−5.3 ± 1.4‰) and travertine from Snaefellsnes (−22 ± 0.5‰). The B isotope and Cl/B systematics of the high-temperature systems are dominated by the composition of the local basalts. The lower temperature systems show evidence for mixing with B and Cl of a marine origin, together with some uptake of B into secondary mineral phases. The data from the Snaefellsnes geothermal system indicate that the fluids have undergone interaction with basalts that have undergone significant low-temperature alteration by seawater.

Publication Year 2000
Title The boron isotope systematics of Icelandic geothermal waters: 1. Meteoric water charged systems
DOI 10.1016/S0016-7037(99)00300-2
Authors J. K. Aggarwal, M. R. Palmer, Thomas D. Bullen, S. Arnorsson, K. V. Ragnarsdóttir
Publication Type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Series Title Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
Index ID 70243555
Record Source USGS Publications Warehouse