Methods and Applications of Geochronology

1st Edition - March 12, 2024
Editors: Gregory Shellnutt, Steve Denyszyn, Kenshi Suga
Language: English
Paperback ISBN:
9 7 8 - 0 - 4 4 3 - 1 8 8 0 3 - 9
eBook ISBN:
9 7 8 - 0 - 4 4 3 - 1 8 8 0 2 - 2

Methods and Applications of Geochronology provides a comprehensive, practical guide to the rapidly developing field of geochronology. Chapters are written by leading experts i… Read more

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Methods and Applications of Geochronology provides a comprehensive, practical guide to the rapidly developing field of geochronology. Chapters are written by leading experts in their specific field of geochronology and discuss practical information and ‘rules of thumb’ for establishing laboratories and using analytical equipment. Methods and Applications of Geochronology is an authoritative guide not only for the foundational principles of geochronological research, but also descriptions of analytical methods, guidance for sample selection, all the way to data reduction and presentation.

Cover image
Title page
Table of Contents
Copyright
Dedication
Contributors
Preface
Chapter 1. Introduction to methods and applications of geochronology: A perspective on geological time
1. Introduction
2. Awareness and observation of geological and biological time: pre-20th century
3. In search of an absolute time
Chapter 2. High-precision CA-ID-TIMS U-Pb geochronology of zircon: Materials, methods, and interpretations
1. Introduction
2. Establishing a U-Pb dating infrastructure and installing best practices
3. Quality assessment
4. Interpretation of high-precision U-Pb zircon dates
5. Summary, TTTT—the three top tips
Chapter 3. Ion microprobe accessory mineral geochronology
1. Introduction
2. Method and instrumentation fundamentals
3. Sample preparation
4. Instrumental settings for geochronology, uncertainty treatment, and data representation
5. Application examples
6. Summary and outlook
Chapter 4. High-speed U–Pb age determinations using a laser ablation-ICP-MS technique
1. Background
2. Laser ablation-ICP-MS system setup
3. Multiple collector-ICP-MS systems
4. Uranium–lead dating from transient signals
5. ICP-time-of-flight type mass spectrometers
6. Multiple spot laser ablation protocol
7. Sample preparation
8. Chemical abrasion
9. Data processing
10. Highlighting recent progress in U–Pb geochronology using LA-ICPMS
11. Summary
Chapter 5. Zircon fission-track and U–Pb multi-method geochronology using laser ablation-ICP-mass spectrometry
Introduction
A technical note on simple, compact, and easy mineral separation procedures for a small amount of rock sample
Chapter 6. U–Th–Pb phosphate geochronology by LA-ICP-MS
1. Introduction
2. Petrogenesis and U–Th–Pb systematics of apatite and monazite-xenotime
3. Setup, materials, and equipment
4. Analytical protocol
5. Standardization
6. Potential challenges in U–Pb phosphate dating
7. Future developments
Chapter 7. In situ beta decay dating by LA-ICP-MS/MS: Fundamentals and methodology
1. Introduction
2. LA-ICP-MS/MS instrumentation
3. Long-lived beta decay systems of geologic significance
4. Decay constants (λ) for beta decay systems
5. Isotopic abundances and extended family relationships
6. Principles of ion-molecule reactions
7. Setting up a protocol for LA-ICP-MS/MS beta decay dating
8. Outlook
Appendix A. Supplementary data
Chapter 8. In situ beta decay dating by LA-ICP-MS/MS: applications
1. Introduction
2. Lu–Hf geochronology
3. Rb–Sr geochronology
4. K–Ca geochronology
5. Re–Os geochronology
6. Future directions
Appendix 1. Instrument analytical conditions
Chapter 9. The complexities in interpreting Argon isotopes: Chock-full of components
1. Introduction and scope
2. Brief introduction to 40K/40Ar and 40Ar/39Ar dating
3. Different Ar components and their sources
4. Data presentation
5. 40K/40Ar data correction and interpretation
6. 40Ar/39Ar data interpretation
7. Final considerations
Chapter 10. Obtaining accurate ages of basaltic rocks using 40Ar/39Ar techniques
1. Introduction
2. Overview of the analytical methodology and procedures
3. The choice of 40Ar/39Ar dating materials for basaltic rocks
4. The preparation and treatment of dating materials
5. The interpretation of analytical data: Criteria for a robust 40Ar/39Ar age
6. Final remarks
Chapter 11. Approaches and best practices for dating orogenic processes using 40Ar/39Ar geochronology
1. Fundamentals of 40Ar/39Ar geochronology
2. 40Ar sources in rocks and minerals
3. Controls on argon mobility
4. Designing a 40Ar/39Ar study on rocks from an orogenic setting
5. 40Ar/39Ar data acquisition methods
6. Presenting and interpreting 40Ar/39Ar results
7. Diffusion modeling approaches
8. Case studies
9. Future directions
10. Summary/conclusions
Chapter 12. Application of in situ 40Ar/39Ar laser probe analysis to a continental shear belt
1. Introduction
2. Case study: Geological setting and previous age constraints
3. Methodology
4. Results
5. Interpretation
6. Conclusions
Chapter 13. A method and application for the integration of geology, geochronology, and paleontology: Case studies for important Mesozoic evolutionary events in East Asia
1. Introduction
2. Step-by-step guide for dating fossils
3. Early Triassic-marine reptile radiation
4. Early-Middle Triassic-basal archosaurian appearance and radiation
5. Middle Jurassic—When did the first flowers appear?
6. Conclusions
Appendix: Methods
Chapter 14. Growth kinetics of metamorphic minerals and the implications for metamorphic geochronology and geology: some case studies of metamorphic zircon
1. Introduction
2. Growth kinetics of a metamorphic mineral
3. Discrimination method for growth kinetics
4. Separation of metamorphic mineral ages with a Gaussian mixing model
5. Application to zircon ages of the high-P Nagasaki complex
6. Application to zircon ages for the high-T Ryoke complex
7. Discussion
8. Conclusions
Appendix
Index

Gregory Shellnutt

J. Gregory Shellnutt is a Professor in the Department of Earth Sciences, National Taiwan Normal University. His research focuses on the geochemistry and geochronology of magmatic rocks from large igneous provinces, Precambrian mafic dyke swarms, the Central African Orogenic Belt, and the Appalachian Orogeny. He was awarded Young Scientist awards from the Mineralogical Association of Canada and Academia Sinica, the Ministry of Science and Technology (Taiwan) Outstanding Research Award in 2015 and 2022, and the Ma Ting Ying and Wang Hanzhuo awards from the Geological Society of Taiwan. Greg is currently the Co-Editor-in Chief of Lithos, Associate Editor of Journal of the Geological Society of India, and editorial board member of Scientific Reports and Frontiers in Earth Sciences.

Affiliations and expertise

Department of Earth Sciences National, Taiwan Normal University, Taiwan

Steve Denyszyn

Steven W. Denyszyn is an Assistant Professor with the Department of Earth Sciences at Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada. Previous affiliations include the University of Toronto, the Berkeley Geochronology Center, and the University of Western Australia. He primarily uses high-precision U-Pb geochronology to study the timing and rates of igneous processes, particularly large igneous provinces and magmatic ore deposits, as well as mass extinctions, paleocontinental reconstructions, and tectonics.

Affiliations and expertise

Department of Earth Sciences, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada

Kenshi Suga

Dr. Kenshi Suga is a Research Fellow in the Department of Earth Sciences, National Taiwan Normal University. He is the manager of the LA-ICP-MS/MS laboratory and focuses on the development of analytical methods for in situ dating using alpha (U–Pb) and beta (e.g. Lu–Hf, Rb–Sr, Re–Os) decay systems, and provides lectures and hands-training to visiting faculty and graduate students. Over the past ten years, Kenshi has published 26 peer reviewed SCI papers and serves on the editorial board of Frontiers in Earth Science.

Affiliations and expertise

Department of Earth Sciences, National Taiwan Normal University, Taiwan