Organic geochemistry of Palaeogene coals from Greenland and Svalbard
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Date
2024-11
Publication Type
Journal Article
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no
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Abstract
The organic geochemistry and coal petrology of Palaeogene coals from northeast Greenland (Thyra & Oslash; Island and Kronprins Christian Land) and central Spitsbergen (Longyearbyen and Grumantbyen) were studied using Rock-Eval and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, as well as microphotometry and maceral group analyses. Bulk data and biomarker distributions of the coals demonstrate a low coal rank for both, but a lower coalification degree of coals from Greenland (0.49-0.55% VRr) compared to those from Svalbard (0.68-0.75% VRr). Maceral group analyses revealed relatively similar distributions with a strong predominance of vitrinite. The generally high abundance of hopanoids (hopanes/hopenes and hopanoic acids) implies a strong bacterial reworking of the organic matter, whereas sulphur occurrences indicate a marine influence after organic matter deposition. A great variety of higher plant biomarkers was detected in all coals. Distinctive compounds recorded in the coals are aliphatic and aromatic diterpenoids as well as partly hydrogenated picenes, suggesting strong input of conifers and angiosperms. Pristane/phytane ratios indicate that the organic matter in the ancient swamps was deposited in an oxic, fluvio-deltaic setting at both sites. This study provides a detailed geochemical investigation of understudied coals from northeast Greenland. Moreover, it enhances our understanding of probably interrelated Palaeogene depositional settings from Greenland and Spitsbergen in terms of their palaeoecology, primary input into coal swamps, and individual thermal history.Graphical abstractRelative abundances of GC-MS amenable compound classes in the coal extracts (% of the TOEs). Numbers above the columns give the summed absolute concentrations (in mu g/g TOC)
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published
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Journal / series
Volume
113 (8)
Pages / Article No.
1841 - 1865
Publisher
Springer
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Date collected
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Subject
Coals; Svalbard and Greenland; Lipid biomarkers; Terpenoids; Arctic; Palaeogene
Organisational unit
09802 - De Jonge, Cindy / De Jonge, Cindy
Notes
Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL.
Funding
211319 - ROOTS: Reconstructing soil fertility across time and space. (SNF)