A HYDROTHERMAL ORIGIN OF THE STRONTIUM ISOTOPE ANOMALIES IN EDIACARAN CARBONATES OF SAUDI ARABIA

Secular variation of ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr in carbonate strata has been widely used in regional and global chemostratigraphic correlations. Typically, diagenesis results in higher ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr signals relative to their primary composition due to the alteration by Rb-rich fluids and radiogenic decay of ⁸⁷Rb to ⁸⁷Sr. Surprisingly, ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr values in the Ediacaran limestones from Saudi Arabia (from 0.7029 to 0.7059) are significantly lower than typical Ediacaran seawater values (mostly from 0.7080 to 0.7090) based on a global compilation. Understanding the origin of these anomalies is important insofar as early macrofossils are preserved in these strata. Two hypotheses have been independently evaluated in this study. The first hypothesis shows a low temperature scenario with isolated oceans or lakes in proximity to a mafic source. The second hypothesis is characterized by a high temperature scenario with profound overprints by juvenile hydrothermal fluids. Integrated Sr and Nd isotope data reveal that the ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr anomalies are closely coupled with positive εNd(t = 560 Ma) values (up to +4.1). Covariations between ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr, εNd, TOC, δ¹³C_carb, δ¹³C_org, and δ¹⁸O_carb were found. Based on multiple lines of petrographic, field, and geochemical evidence, the second hypothesis (i.e., hydrothermal alteration by juvenile fluids) is preferred in this study. We argue that the concept that the Ediacaran biotic radiation took place in an isolated lake environment should be treated with caution. These remarkably low ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr signals have neither temporal nor biogeochemical significance. Sr isotope chemostratigraphy in this particular region may not be a reliable tool for stratigraphic correlations.