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Helium flux from a sedimentary basin
1Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Hiroshima University, Kagamiyama, Higashi Hiroshima, Japan.
Summary
Groundwater ages in Japan
Area of Science:
- Geochemistry
- Hydrogeology
- Isotope Hydrology
Background:
- Tritium-3He dating is a key method for determining groundwater recharge and residence times.
- Understanding helium flux is crucial for geochemical studies and resource exploration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the tritium-3He ages of groundwater in the Saijo Basin, Japan.
- To calculate helium (He) flux in the Saijo Basin and compare it with other regions.
- To assess the uniformity of helium flux across the Earth's crust.
Main Methods:
- Measurement of tritium and helium isotopes in groundwater samples.
- Calculation of groundwater ages using the tritium-3He dating technique.
- Estimation of helium flux based on helium concentrations and groundwater ages.
Main Results:
- Groundwater ages in the Saijo Basin ranged from 11.7 to 16.3 years.
- A helium flux of greater than 3 x 10(4) atoms/cm2 s was calculated for the Saijo Basin.
- A helium flux of 8.3 x 10(5) atoms/cm2 s was calculated for the Higashi-Niigata gas field.
- The calculated helium fluxes are consistent with previously reported continental helium flux values.
Conclusions:
- The tritium-3He dating method provides reliable groundwater age estimates.
- Helium flux in the studied Japanese regions aligns with global estimates.
- These findings support the hypothesis of a uniform helium flux across the Earth's continental crust.