Paul Dennis edited untitled.tex  over 8 years ago

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Using these techniques we find:  {(i) (i)  the calcite precipitated at temperatures between 40° and 100°C.   (ii) the parent fluids range in isotopic composition from -4‰_{VSMOW} to +5‰_{VSMOW} and represent mixtures of a cool, meteoric water and a more evolved formation water.   

  (iv) The calcites exhibit zoned development characterised by cyclic and pulsed evolution of precipitation temperatures and fluid compositions as a result of varying mixing ratios of the two fluid end-members.    (v) The fluids have evolved under low fluid:rock ratios.} ratios.    Simple thermal considerations indicate that fluid flow was episodic and highly focussed along the fault plane. We conclude that rising pore fluid pressures as a result of rapid sedimentation, coupled with increasing tectonic stress as the basin inverted during the Variscan orogeny led to fault movement and release of the pore fluid pressure as the sediment pile dewaters. As with the example of the upper Mississippi Valley sedimentary basins the dewatering is episodic with extended periods during which pore fluid pressure increases punctuated by short periods of fluid release. This process resembles very closely a seismic valve \citep{Sibson_1981}.