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Catch and release of deep energy sources across orogenic cycles
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DOI：10.1016/j.gca.2026.04.032.png)
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Abstract
En 中文
Minuscule fluid inclusions (FIs) within minerals may trap substantial amounts of CH4 and H2, which upon release may generate fluxes of energy sources that are large enough to sustain microbial life at hydrothermal systems. Despite the widespread documentation of CH4-H2 rich FIs in diverse crustal and mantle rocks, their evolution, residence times, and impact on fluid fluxes in the deep Earth remain unconstrained. These parameters are critical for determining the fate of CH4-H2 FIs during their journey towards the surface. We adopted a novel approach to the study of deep CH4-H2, combining a high-resolution, 0.7 km2-scale mapping of FIs petrographic-spectroscopic characterization, and bulk CH4 concentration and isotope composition measurement from 67 mafic, ultramafic, metasedimentary, and metasomatic rocks from the Northern Appalachian belt, USA. This allowed reconstructing multiple events of CH4-H2 catch and release in/from FIs, with associated storage/release potentials as high as 10-1 m3 of CH4 and 10-3 m3 of H2 per m3 of rock (at Standard Temperature and Pressure). Such large volumes of fluids and volatiles are largely due to the preservation of residual high pressure in FIs, leading to significant volume expansion upon opening through mechanical and/or mineralogical transformation during exhumation. This process re-cycled deep CH4-H2-rich fluids across at least two orogenic cycles over 70 Myr. Mineralogical transformations and redox reactions controlled the storage/mobility of deep energy sources in/from FIs throughout their exhumation history towards habitable environments.
Keywords:
Fluid inclusions
Metamorphic CH4
Natural H2
Deep energy fluxes
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