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A multi-isotope approach (O, H, C, S, B and Sr) to understand the source of water and solutes in some the thermal springs from West Coast geothermal area, India

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Abstract

The West Coast belt, consisting of nearly 60 thermal springs, is one of the most diversified geothermal fields in India. The present work describes the multi-isotopic (O, H, C, S, B and Sr) characterization of thermal waters carried out in the Tural-Rajwadi geothermal field, situated in southern sector of the west coast geothermal area. The aim of this study is to delineate the origin of thermal water as well as to ascertain the sources of carbon, sulphur, boron and strontium dissolved in those thermal springs. The stable isotopes (δ2H and δ18O) and tritium data indicate that these thermal springs are not recently recharged rain water rather, it contains very old component of water. Oxygen-18 shift is observed due to rock-water interaction over a long period of time. Carbon isotopic composition of DIC points out to the silicate weathering with soil CO2 coming from C3 type of plants whereas δ34S of dissolved sulphate confirms the marine origin of sulphate. This marine signature is basically derived from paleo-seawater possibly entrapped within the flows. Boron isotopic data reveals that both the seawater and rock dissolution are the sources of boron in the thermal waters whereas high 87Sr/86Sr ratios (0.7220–0.7512) of the thermal waters conclusively establishes that archean granitic basement is the predominant rock source of strontium, not the Deccan flood basalts. In addition, like strontium, concentrations of lithium, rubidium and caesium are also governed by the rock-water interaction. Thus, the combined use of this multi-isotope technique coupled with trace element concentrations proves to be an effective tool to establish the sources of solutes in the thermal water.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to acknowledge Shri K S S Sarma, Dr. U. Saravana Kumar, Shri Abhijit Saha, Dr. Ahsan Absar, Shri Upananda Low, Smt Diksha, Shri H.V. Moho kar, Dr. Noble Jacob, Dr. K. Tirumalesh and all the staff members of IHS,BARC for their help and support during the study.

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  1. Isotope and Radiation Application Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, Trombay, 400085, India

    Sitangshu Chatterjee, Md. Arzoo Ansari, Archana S. Deodhar & Uday Kumar Sinha

  2. Radiopharmaceuticals Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, 400085, India

    Ashutosh Dash

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  1. Sitangshu Chatterjee
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Correspondence to Sitangshu Chatterjee.

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Chatterjee, S., Ansari, M.A., Deodhar, A.S. et al. A multi-isotope approach (O, H, C, S, B and Sr) to understand the source of water and solutes in some the thermal springs from West Coast geothermal area, India. Arab J Geosci 10, 242 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-017-3022-0

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