Abstract
The subsidence of sedimentary layers implies increasing temperature downwards within the sedimentary column, so that the degree of coalification of organic matter increases continually. Apart from temperature, the slowly reacting chemical compounds of the organic matter strongly depend on time, too.
It is shown that the coal rank is proportional to the integral of temperature and time of burial (t) for the Tertiary sedimentary rocks of the Upper Rhine Graben. This relationship is used to calculate paleogeothermal gradients (gradT) for some boreholes in the Upper Rhine Graben, from which the rate of burial during geological history (z(t)) is known. The degree of coalification is measured by its mean optical reflectivity (R m), so that the relationship between coalification and geothermal history isR 2m ∝ gradT ∫z(t) dt.
The results show high heat flow during Lower Tertiary and a decrease during Upper Tertiary at some locations of the Upper Rhine Graben. The recent high heat flow is not detectable in coalification. The young thermal anomaly is perhaps caused by ascending pore fluid and/or by heat conduction from a heat source in the lower crust.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bartz, J. Die Mächtigkeit des Quartärs im Oberrheingraben, inApproaches to Taphrogenesis (eds. J. H. Illies and K. Fuchs), (Schweizerbart'sche Verl.-Buchh., Stuttgart, 1974), pp. 78–87.
Buntebarth, G. (1977),Eine empirische Methode zur Berechnung von paläo-geothermischen Gradienten aus dem Inkohlungsgrad organischer Einlagerungen in Sedimentgesteinen mit Anwedung auf den mittleren Oberrheingraben, Fortschr. Geol. Rheinl. u. Westf.27 (in print).
Buntebarth, G. andSchopper, J. R.,Heat flow caused by water migration along faults in dependence on petrophysical parameters, inProceed. Intern. Congr. on Thermal Waters, Geothermal Energy and Volcanism of the Mediterranean Area, Oct. 5–10, Athens, Vol. II (Athens, 1976), pp. 41–49.
Buntebarth, G. andTeichmüller, R. (1977),Zur Ermittlung der Paläotemperaturen im Dach des Bramscher Intrusivs aufgrund von Inkohlungsdaten, Fortschr. Geol. Rheinl. u. Westf.27 (in print).
Cornelius, C.-D. (1975),Die Phasen der organischen Metamorphose im Zeit-Temperatur-Diagramm, Compendium 74/75, Ergänzungsband zur Zeitschr.Erdöl und Kohle, Erdgas und Petrochemie, pp. 70–83.
Doebl, F., Heling, D., Homann, W., Karweil, J., Teichmüller, M. andWelte, D.,Diagenesis of Tertiary clayey sediments and included dispersed organic matter in relationship to geothermics in the Upper Rhine Graben, inApproaches to Taphrogenesis (eds. J. H. Illies and K. Fuchs), (Schweizerbart'sche Verl.-Buchh., Stuttgart, 1974), pp. 192–207.
Haenel, R. (1976),Die Bedeutung der terrestrischen Wärmestromdichte für die Geodynamik, Geol. Rundschau65, pp. 797–809.
Hood, A., Gutjahr, C. C. M. andHeacock, R. L. (1975),Organic metamorphism and the generation of petroleum, Bull. Am. Assoc. Petrol. Geol.59, pp. 986–996.
Huck, G. andPatteisky, K. (1964),Inkohlungsreaktionen unter Druck, Fortschr. Geol. Rheinl. u. Westf.12, pp. 551–558.
Illies, J. H. Taphrogenesis and plate tectonics, inApproaches to Taphrogenesis (eds. J. H. Illies and K. Fuchs), (Schweizerbart'sche Verl.-Buchh., Stuttgart, 1974), pp. 433–460.
Illies, J. H. andGreiner, G.,Active movements and state of stress in the Rhinegraben, inAbstracts IASPEI/IAVCEI Joint General Assemblies, Aug. 8–19 (Durham, 1977), p. 75.
Karweil, J. (1955),Die Metamorphose der Kohlen vom Standpunkt der physikalischen Chemie, Z. deutsch. geol. Ges.107, pp. 132–139.
Lippolt, H. J., Todt, W. andHorn, P.,Apparent potassium-argon ages of Lower Tertiary Rhine Graben volcanics, inApproaches to Taphrogenesis (eds. J. H. Illies and K. Fuchs), Schweizerbart'sche Verl.-Buchh, (Stuttgart, 1974), pp. 213–221.
Lopatin, N. W. (1971),Temperatura i geologicheskoe vremya kak faktory uglefikatsii (Temperature and geologic time as factors in coalification), Akad. Nauk SSSR, Izv., Ser. Geol.3, pp. 95–106.
Teichmüller, M.,Bestimmung des Inkohlungsgrades von kohligen Einschlüssen in Sedimenten des Oberrheingrabens — ein Hilfsmittel bei der Klärung geothermischer Fragen, inGraben Problems (eds. J. H. Illies and St. Müller), Schweizerbart'sche Verl.-Buchh. (Stuttgart, 1970), pp. 124–142.
Teichmüller, M. (1977),Die Diagenese der kohligen Substanzen in Gesteinen des mittleren Oberrhein-Grabens, Fortschr. Geol. Rheinl. u. Westf.27 (in print).
Teichmüller, M. andTeichmüller, R. (1977),Beziehung zwischen Inkohlung und der geothermischen Geschichte des mittleren Oberrhein-Grabens, Fortschr. Geol. Rheinl. u. Westf.27 (in print).
Teichmüller, R. andTeichmüller, M. (1949),Inkohlungsfragen im Ruhrkarbon, Z. deutsch. geol. Ges.99, pp. 40–77.
Tissot, B. (1969),Premières données sur le mécanismes et la cinétique de la formation du pétrole dans les sédiments; simulation d'un schéma réactionnel sur ordinateur, Rev. Inst. Franc. Pétrole24, pp. 470–501.
Werner, D. (1975),Probleme der Geothermik am Beispiel des Rheingrabens, Diss., Univ. Karlsruhe.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Buntebarth, G. The degree of metamorphism of organic matter in sedimentary rocks as a paleo-geothermometer, applied to the Upper Rhine Graben. PAGEOPH 117, 83–91 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00879736
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00879736