In Prior work, techniques have been developed for the extraction and analysis of fluid from fluid inclusions in halite, miocene, permian and silirian marine evaporites have been studied so far. Miocene halite inclusions indicate sea water compositions similar to today; however, variations in Br/K concentrations have been identified throughout phanerozoic evaporites. Plans now include investigation of fluids from additional sites, refinement of our understanding of chemical pathways involved in evaporation of sea water and develop models for interpreting the composition of inclusion fluids. Beyond the important goal of understanding the evolution of sea water, possible application of results may apply to exploration of valuable saline deposits and use of salt beds for nuclear waste repositories.
