Source of chemical constituents in the salts of the Don Juan Basin

Abstract

Water soluble salts in seven sediment cores, which were taken from the Don Juan basin in the Dry Valleys region, Antarctica, were analyzed. The chemical composition of the original pond water was presumed from the contents of minor components as well as major components in the water soluble salts. The partitioning of Ca, Mg, Fe and Mn into each mineral in the water insoluble portion of the sediment was clarified by using a selective chemical leaching technique. The total amounts of salts in the Don Juan basin were estimated from these analytical data. As a result, the original brine for the salt in the Don Juan basin was supposed to be a calcium chloride type water with a low magnesium content.