The role of mineral interaction with C-H-O fluids under hydrothermal conditions has invoked models of geochemical synthesis of organic molecules at deep crustal conditions. With the abundance of CO2 and H2 within the deep earth subsurface, the equilibration of the water-gas shift reaction can be considered to generally constrain the fluid chemistry and thus define the extent of hydrothermal chemistry at deep subsurface conditions. Since Thomas Gold's (1992) hypothesis of ‘Deep hot biosphere' invoking abiotic organic synthesis, there have been several reports of hydrocarbon formation under simulated deep crustal conditions. However, recent studies have recognized such organic syntheses resulting dirctly from secondary metal (from the reactor) catalytic reaction producing small amounts of light hydrocarbon (predominantly methane) fractions. This presentation will focus on examining the mechanisms of the C-H-O fluid interaction with minerals by directly monitoring the reactions at extreme conditions of pressure and temperatures in diamond anvil cells.
Web Page: hyperbug.geo.rpi.edu/asharma/research.htm
Back to Inorganic Chemistry
Back to The 33rd Northeast Regional Meeting (July 14-17, 2005)