The noble gas isotope geochemical composition of chert at the bottom of Cambrian in Tarim Basin, China

In the Tarim Basin, black shale series at the bottom of Cambrian is one of the important marine facies hydrocarbon source rocks. This research focuses on the analysis of the isotope of noble gas of 11 cherts. The R/Ra ratio of chert in the Keping area is 0.032–0.319, and 40Ar/36Ar is 338–430. In Quruqtagh the R/Ra ratio is 0.44–10.21, and 40Ar/36Ar is 360–765. The R/Ra ratio of chert increases with 40Ar/36Ar from the west to the east accordingly. They have evolved from the crust source area to the mantle source area in a direct proportion. Surplus argon 40ArE in chert is in direct proportion to the R/Ra ratio, indicating that it has the same origin of excess argon as in fluid and mantle source helium. Comparison of the R/Ra ratios between the west and the east shows that the chert in the eastern part formed from the activity system of the bottom hydrothermal venting driven by the mantle source, where the material and energy of crust and mantle had a strong interaction in exchange; whereas in the western part, chert deposited from the floating of hydrothermal plume undersea bottom, which is far away from the centre of activities of the hydrothermal fluid of ocean bottom. In addition, from noble gas isotope composition of chert, it is suggested that the ocean anoxia incident happened at the black shale of the Cambrian bottom probably because of the large-scaled ocean volcanoes and the following hydrothermal activities.