Fluorescence spectroscopy: A promising tool for carbonate petrology

1992 
Responses of depositional and diagenetic components in samples of the Mission Canyon Limestone to blue-light excitation vary most noticeably with mineralogy and crystal size. The finely crystalline micrites, dolomicrites and argillaceous carbonates fluoresce more intensely than the more coarsely crystalline sparry calcite cements, dolospar cements and coarsely crystalline dolomites. Low intensity spectral analysis of cherts, anhydrites, and the carbonate phases provides an objective manner for quantifying fluorescence responses and for comparing them statistically. Nineteen of the optical parameters used in organic petrology are evaluated for their utility in carbonate petrology. Results of the discriminant function analysis suggest that red-weighted fluorescence chromaticity indices and yellow-weighted ones are more useful for mineral identification than the blue-weighted or equal-energy chromaticity indices. Statistical analysis of the optical data, mineralogy, and minor element compositions suggests correlations between the fluorescence responses and major minerals, carbonate diagenetic components, and the minor element geochemistry of carbonate components. Although no single element is identified as an activator of fluorescence in this study, the complex correlations of optical indices with Fe suggest that it does act to quench fluorescence. The four fluorescence cy chromaticity indices correlate significantly and positively with mineralogy and negatively with MgCo[sub 3]. In organic petrology, thesemore » indices are related to maceral content. The positive correlations of the four fluorescence cx chromaticity indices with Fe and Mn likely reflect fluorescence response to changes in compositions of pore fluids during diagenesis. This trend parallels the increase in cx indices with increasing maturation of organic materials.« less
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