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Application of a handheld X-ray fluorescence spectrometer for real-time, high-density quantitative analysis of drilled igneous rocks and sediments during IODP Expedition 352

Ryan, J.G.; Shervais, J.W.; Li, Y.; Reagan, M.K.; Li, H.Y.; Heaton, D.; Godard, M.; Kirchenbaur, M.; Whattam, S.A.; Pearce, J.A.; Chapman, T.; Nelson, W.; Prytulak, J.; Shimizu, K.; Petronotis, K.

Application of a handheld X-ray fluorescence spectrometer for real-time, high-density quantitative analysis of drilled igneous rocks and sediments during IODP Expedition 352 Thumbnail


Authors

J.G. Ryan

J.W. Shervais

Y. Li

M.K. Reagan

H.Y. Li

D. Heaton

M. Godard

M. Kirchenbaur

S.A. Whattam

J.A. Pearce

T. Chapman

W. Nelson

K. Shimizu

K. Petronotis



Abstract

Handheld energy dispersive portable X-ray spectrometers (pXRF) are generally designed and used for qualitative survey applications. We developed shipboard quantitative analysis protocols for pXRF and employed the instrument to make over 2000 individual abundance measurements for a selection of major and trace elements on over 1200 m of recovered core during the eight weeks of the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expedition 352 to the Izu-Bonin forearc. pXRF analytical performance, accuracy and precision were found to be the same on powdered rock samples and on freshly cut rock surfaces, and sample results were similar within error to measurements made via shipboard ICP-OES analysis save at low abundance levels for a few elements. Instrument performance was optimal for elements between Z = 19 and Z = 40, and the system yielded reproducible data for K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Rb, Sr, and Zr on both powdered samples and rock surfaces. Working curves developed via pXRF measurement of a suite of geologic standard reference materials and well-characterized lavas permitted accurate quantitative measurements for many of the examined elements on both sample powders and rock surfaces. Although pXRF has been sporadically employed on previous cruises, Expedition 352 is the first time a detailed, high-density chemostratigraphy of recovered core samples was collected using pXRF measurements of rock core surfaces. These high-resolution data allowed the recognition of chemically distinct eruptive units in near real-time. The rapid identification of geochemical trends vastly improved our selection of samples for shipboard and shore-based analysis, permitted a more comprehensive interpretation of our Expedition results, and provided key decision-making information for drilling operations.

Citation

Ryan, J., Shervais, J., Li, Y., Reagan, M., Li, H., Heaton, D., …Petronotis, K. (2017). Application of a handheld X-ray fluorescence spectrometer for real-time, high-density quantitative analysis of drilled igneous rocks and sediments during IODP Expedition 352. Chemical Geology, 451, 55-66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2017.01.007

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Jan 9, 2017
Online Publication Date Jan 15, 2017
Publication Date Jan 15, 2017
Deposit Date Apr 18, 2018
Publicly Available Date Apr 18, 2018
Journal Chemical Geology
Print ISSN 0009-2541
Publisher Elsevier
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 451
Pages 55-66
DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2017.01.007
Public URL https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1334258
Related Public URLs https://spiral.imperial.ac.uk/handle/10044/1/43838

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