Organic geochemistry of Palaeogene coals from Greenland and Svalbard ...

• Main Authors: Kerschhofer, Franz, Blumenberg, Martin, Kus, Jolanta, Reinhardt, Lutz, Thiel, Volker
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: ETH Zurich 2024
• Subjects: Coals; Svalbard and Greenland; Lipid biomarkers; Terpenoids; Arctic; Palaeogene; Greenland; Grumantby*; Kronprins Christian land; Longyearbyen; Svalbard; Spitsbergen
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.3929/ethz-b-000685561; http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11850/685561

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 ... : International Journal of Earth Sciences ...