Low temperature hydrothermal maturation of organic matter in sediments from the Atlantis II Deep, Red Sea

Hydrocarbons and bulk organic matter of two sediment cores within the Atlantis II Deep are analyzed, and microbial inputs and minor terrestrial sources are found to represent the major sedimentary organic material. Results show that extensive acid-catalyzed reactions are occurring in the sediments, and the Atlantis II Deep is found to exhibit a lower degree of thermal maturation than other hydrothermal or intrusive systems. The lack of carbon number preference noted among the n-alkanes suggests that the organic matter of these sediments has undergone some degree of catagenesis, though yields of hydrocarbons are much lower than those found in other hydrothermal areas, probably due to the effect of lower temperature and poor source-rock characteristics.