Application of Cathodoluminescence to Carbonate Diagenesis

Abstract

Cathodoluminescence (CL) petrography is a popular tool in investigations of carbonate rocks and their diagenesis. The most widespread use of CL in carbonate studies is in cement stratigraphy using zoned cements. Visual CL colors and intensities are commonly correlated with analyzed Mn2+ and Fe2+ contents and then used, often in conjunction with other geochemical data (such as stable and radiogenic isotope data, fluid inclusion and paleomagnetic data, etc.), to interpret salinity, temperature, and Eh of the paleo-formation waters, and possibly paleofluid flow directions. Such applications of CL have great potential for applied research, e.g., via establishing porosity evolution in hydrocarbon reservoirs (e.g., several articles in Barker and Kopp 1991). Another popular use of CL is to identify marine components (cements or biochems, mainly brachiopods) that are unaltered or least altered by recrystallization, in order to determine the isotopic composition of paleo-ocean water (e.g., Popp et al. 1986; Lohmann and Walker 1989; Tobin et al. 1996).