Thermodynamic modelling of C–O–H fluids

H2O, CO2, CH4, CO, H2 and O2 are the most important species in crustal fluids. The composition of these C–O–H fluids can be calculated if the pressure, temperature, carbon activity, and either the oxygen fugacity or the atomic H/O ratio of the fluid is known. The calculation methods are discussed and calculation results are illustrated with isobaric T–Xi, P–T, and isobaric–isothermal ternary C–O–H diagrams. Fluid inclusion compositions, in particular, the XCO2/(XCO2+XCH4) ratio, can be used for C–O–H model calculations. However, care should be taken about possible post-entrapment changes, which may have modified the chemical composition of the fluid inclusion.