Browsing by Subject "Fractionation"
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Item Depositional and diagenetic processes in the formation of the Eocene Jackson Group bentonites, Gonzales County, Texas(2011-12) Michaelides, Michael Nicholas; Kyle, J. Richard; Gardner, James; Heister, Lara; Serenko, ThomasBentonite clays are exposed in Paleogene strata stretching over 650 km parallel to the Texas coastline. This study focuses on a white and blue and a yellow and brown commercial Ca-montmorillonite bentonite near the city of Gonzales, Gonzales county, Texas. The deposits have stratigraphic ages of Late Eocene (~36.7 - 32.7 Ma). The bentonites in these deposits have varying colors, purities and brightness affording them diverse industrial uses. The distribution and geologic character of the high purity white and blue bentonite suggests that the deposit represents an accumulation of volcanic ash in a secondary tidal channel during the ash-fall event. A low rate of terrigenous clastic sedimentation and rapid accumulation of fresh ash were critical to the formation of high purity clay. The lower purity yellow and brown bentonites appear to have a fluvial origin marked by higher rates of detrital sedimentation and episodic accumulation of clay and ash. The bentonite and associated strata were studied using optical microscopy, SEM, XRD and REE analyses to constrain their textural, mineralogic, and chemical character. vii Eocene pyroclastic volcanism is well documented from sources in southwestern North America, specifically in the Sierra Madre Occidental (Mexico), Trans-Pecos (Texas) and Mogollan-Datil (New Mexico) volcanic fields. Projected Eocene wind patterns support this region as a potential source for the Gonzales bentonites. A comparison of the trace and REE fingerprints of the white and blue bentonites and the yellow and brown bentonites with data available for Late Eocene volcanics in the North American Volcanic Database provides a couple of potential matches. The strongest potential match for the Late Eocene bentonite protolith is described as a sample of silicic tuff with an age range of 32.2 – 30.6 Ma, located in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca. While the trace and REE match is strong, the tuff is somewhat young compared to the Jackson Group sediments. In addition, the sample location is due almost directly south of the Gonzales deposits, rather than the western location expected for a Gonzales bentonite source. The other potential matches are located in New Mexico, and the Mexican state of Chihuahua. These potential matches only have 6 REE available for comparison, and require further investigation. Many Paleogene volcanic units in southern North America are undocumented with regard to REE data or precise absolute ages. As additional geochemical analyses become available for a more extensive suite of Paleogene volcanic units, stronger matches with Gulf of Mexico Basin bentonites are expected to emerge.Item Experimental studies of oxygen isotope fractionation in the carbonic acid system at 15, 25, and 40 (degrees)C(Texas A&M University, 2004-11-15) Beck, William CoryIn light of recent studies that show oxygen isotope fractionation in carbonate minerals to be a function of HCO3 2-; and CO3 2- concentrations, the oxygen isotope fractionation and exchange between water and components of the carbonic acid system (HCO3 2-, CO3 2-, and CO2(aq)) were investigated at 15, 25, and 40 (degrees)C. To investigate oxygen isotope exchange between HCO3 2-, CO3 -2, and H2O, NaHCO3 solutions were prepared and the pH was adjusted over a range of 2 to 12 by the addition of small amounts of HCl or NaOH. After thermal, chemical, and isotopic equilibrium was attained, BaCl2 was added to the NaHCO3 solutions. This resulted in immediate BaCO3 precipitation; thus, recording the isotopic composition of the dissolved inorganic carbon. Data from experiments at 15, 25, and 40 (degrees)C (1 atm) show that the oxygen isotope fractionation between HCO3 2-; and H2O as a function of temperature is governed by the equation: 1000 ;HCO3--H2O = 2.66 + 0.05(106T-2) + 1.18 + 0.52. where is the fractionation factor and T is in kelvins. The temperature dependence of oxygen isotope fractionation between CO32 and H2O is 1000 CO32--H2O = 2.28 + 0.03(106T-2) - 1.50 + 0.29. The oxygen isotope fractionation between CO2(aq) and H2O was investigated by acid stripping CO2(aq) from low pH solutions; these data yield the following equation: 1000 CO2(aq)-H2O = 2.52 + 0.03(106T-2) + 12.12 + 0.33. The kinetics of oxygen isotope exchange were also investigated. The half-times for exchange between HCO3- and H2O were 3.6, 1.4, and 0.25 h at 15, 25, and 40 (degrees)C, respectively. The half-times for exchange between CO2 and H2O were 1200, 170, and 41 h at 15, 25, and 40 (degrees) C, respectively. These results show that the 18O of the total dissolved inorganic carbon species can vary as much as 17 at a constant temperature. This could result in temperature independent variations in the 18O of precipitated carbonate minerals, especially in systems that are not chemically buffered.Item Ultra-precise manipulation and assembly of nanoparticles using three fundamental optical forces(2012-12) Demergis, Vassili; Florin, Ernst-Ludwig; Shubeita, George T; Fink, Manfred; Makarov, Dmitrii E; Korgel, Brian AThe invention of the laser in 1960 opened the door for a myriad of studies on the interactions between light and matter. Eventually it was shown that highly focused laser beams could be used to con fine and manipulate matter in a controlled way, and these instruments were known as optical traps. However, challenges remain as there is a delicate balance between object size, precision of control, laser power, and temperature that must be satisfied. In Part I of this dissertation, I describe the development of two optical trapping instruments which substantially extend the allowed parameter ranges. Both instruments utilize a standing wave optical field to generate strong optical gradient forces while minimizing the optical scattering forces, thus dramatically improving trapping efficiency. One instrument uses a cylinder lens to extend the trapping region into a line focus, rather than a point focus, thereby confining objects to 1D motion. By translation of the cylinder lens, lateral scattering forces can be generated to transport objects along the 1D trapping volume, and these scattering forces can be controlled independently of the optical gradient forces. The second instrument uses a collimated beam to generate wide, planar trapping regions which can con fine nanoparticles to 2D motion. In Part II, I use these instruments to provide the first quantitative measurements of the optical binding interaction between nanoparticles. I show that the optical binding force can be over 20 times stronger than the optical gradient force generated in typical optical traps, and I map out the 2D optical binding energy landscape between a pair of gold nanoparticles. I show how this ultra-strong optical binding leads to the self-assembly of multiple nanoparticles into larger contactless clusters of well de ned geometry. I nally show that these clusters have a geometry dependent coupling to the external optical field.