Mechanisms shaping the gypsum stromatolite-like structures in the Salar de Llamara (Atacama Desert, Chile)

The explanation of the origin of microbialites and specifically stromatolitic structures is a problem ofhigh relevance for decoding past sedimentary environments and deciphering the biogenicity of the oldest plausible remnants of life. We have investigated the morphogenesis of gypsum stromatolitelik...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Criado-Reyes, Joaquín, Otálora, Fermín, Canals i Sabaté, Àngels, Verdugo-Escamilla, Cristóbal, García-Ruiz, Juan-Manuel
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2023
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Oviedo (UNIOVI)
Repositorio:Dipòsit Digital de la UB
OAI Identifier:oai:diposit.ub.edu:2445/226110
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/2445/226110
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Sedimentologia
Evaporites
Geomicrobiologia
Geoquímica
Sedimentology
Geomicrobiology
Geochemistry
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spelling Mechanisms shaping the gypsum stromatolite-like structures in the Salar de Llamara (Atacama Desert, Chile)Criado-Reyes, JoaquínOtálora, FermínCanals i Sabaté, ÀngelsVerdugo-Escamilla, CristóbalGarcía-Ruiz, Juan-ManuelSedimentologiaEvaporitesGeomicrobiologiaGeoquímicaSedimentologyEvaporitesGeomicrobiologyGeochemistryThe explanation of the origin of microbialites and specifically stromatolitic structures is a problem ofhigh relevance for decoding past sedimentary environments and deciphering the biogenicity of the oldest plausible remnants of life. We have investigated the morphogenesis of gypsum stromatolitelikestructures currently growing in shallow ponds (puquíos) in the Salar de Llamara (Atacama Desert, Northern Chile). The crystal size, aspect ratio, and orientation distributions of gypsum crystals within the structures have been quantified and show indications for episodic nucleation and competitive growth of millimetric to centimetric selenite crystals into a radial, branched, and loosely cemented aggregate. The morphogenetical process is explained by the existence of a stable vertical salinity gradient in the ponds. Due to the non-linear dependency of gypsum solubility as a function of sodium chloride concentration, the salinity gradient produces undersaturated solutions, which dissolve gypsum crystals. This dissolution happens at a certain depth, narrowing the lower part of the structures, and producing their stromatolite-like morphology. We have tested this novel mechanism experimentally, simulating the effective dissolution of gypsum crystals in stratified ponds, thus providing a purely abiotic mechanism for these stromatolite-like structures.Nature Publishing Group2023info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionapplication/pdfhttps://hdl.handle.net/2445/226110Articles publicats en revistes (Mineralogia, Petrologia i Geologia Aplicada)reponame:Dipòsit Digital de la UBinstname:Universidad de Oviedo (UNIOVI)InglésReproducció del document publicat a: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-27666-5Scientific Reports, 2023, vol. 13https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-27666-5cc-by (c) Criado-Reyes, J. et al., 2023http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:diposit.ub.edu:2445/2261102026-05-27T06:46:51Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Mechanisms shaping the gypsum stromatolite-like structures in the Salar de Llamara (Atacama Desert, Chile)
title Mechanisms shaping the gypsum stromatolite-like structures in the Salar de Llamara (Atacama Desert, Chile)
spellingShingle Mechanisms shaping the gypsum stromatolite-like structures in the Salar de Llamara (Atacama Desert, Chile)
Criado-Reyes, Joaquín
Sedimentologia
Evaporites
Geomicrobiologia
Geoquímica
Sedimentology
Evaporites
Geomicrobiology
Geochemistry
title_short Mechanisms shaping the gypsum stromatolite-like structures in the Salar de Llamara (Atacama Desert, Chile)
title_full Mechanisms shaping the gypsum stromatolite-like structures in the Salar de Llamara (Atacama Desert, Chile)
title_fullStr Mechanisms shaping the gypsum stromatolite-like structures in the Salar de Llamara (Atacama Desert, Chile)
title_full_unstemmed Mechanisms shaping the gypsum stromatolite-like structures in the Salar de Llamara (Atacama Desert, Chile)
title_sort Mechanisms shaping the gypsum stromatolite-like structures in the Salar de Llamara (Atacama Desert, Chile)
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Criado-Reyes, Joaquín
Otálora, Fermín
Canals i Sabaté, Àngels
Verdugo-Escamilla, Cristóbal
García-Ruiz, Juan-Manuel
author Criado-Reyes, Joaquín
author_facet Criado-Reyes, Joaquín
Otálora, Fermín
Canals i Sabaté, Àngels
Verdugo-Escamilla, Cristóbal
García-Ruiz, Juan-Manuel
author_role author
author2 Otálora, Fermín
Canals i Sabaté, Àngels
Verdugo-Escamilla, Cristóbal
García-Ruiz, Juan-Manuel
author2_role author
author
author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Sedimentologia
Evaporites
Geomicrobiologia
Geoquímica
Sedimentology
Evaporites
Geomicrobiology
Geochemistry
topic Sedimentologia
Evaporites
Geomicrobiologia
Geoquímica
Sedimentology
Evaporites
Geomicrobiology
Geochemistry
description The explanation of the origin of microbialites and specifically stromatolitic structures is a problem ofhigh relevance for decoding past sedimentary environments and deciphering the biogenicity of the oldest plausible remnants of life. We have investigated the morphogenesis of gypsum stromatolitelikestructures currently growing in shallow ponds (puquíos) in the Salar de Llamara (Atacama Desert, Northern Chile). The crystal size, aspect ratio, and orientation distributions of gypsum crystals within the structures have been quantified and show indications for episodic nucleation and competitive growth of millimetric to centimetric selenite crystals into a radial, branched, and loosely cemented aggregate. The morphogenetical process is explained by the existence of a stable vertical salinity gradient in the ponds. Due to the non-linear dependency of gypsum solubility as a function of sodium chloride concentration, the salinity gradient produces undersaturated solutions, which dissolve gypsum crystals. This dissolution happens at a certain depth, narrowing the lower part of the structures, and producing their stromatolite-like morphology. We have tested this novel mechanism experimentally, simulating the effective dissolution of gypsum crystals in stratified ponds, thus providing a purely abiotic mechanism for these stromatolite-like structures.
publishDate 2023
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2023
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv https://hdl.handle.net/2445/226110
url https://hdl.handle.net/2445/226110
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv Reproducció del document publicat a: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-27666-5
Scientific Reports, 2023, vol. 13
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-27666-5
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv cc-by (c) Criado-Reyes, J. et al., 2023
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv cc-by (c) Criado-Reyes, J. et al., 2023
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Nature Publishing Group
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Nature Publishing Group
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv Articles publicats en revistes (Mineralogia, Petrologia i Geologia Aplicada)
reponame:Dipòsit Digital de la UB
instname:Universidad de Oviedo (UNIOVI)
instname_str Universidad de Oviedo (UNIOVI)
reponame_str Dipòsit Digital de la UB
collection Dipòsit Digital de la UB
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
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score 15,812429

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