磷灰石(U-Th)/He定年技术影响因素研究

磷灰石(U-Th)/He定年作为一种有效的低温热年代学定年技术,现已被广泛应用于地质研究的各个领域,而该技术测定的样品年龄会受到多方面因素的影响,其中磷灰石性状的影响尤为突出。通过归纳总结目前国内外磷灰石(U-Th)/He定年研究中,样品性状和成分、磷灰石颗粒尺寸及形貌、包裹体、147Sm含量、辐射损伤、U和Th不均匀分布等性状因素影响的研究进展,研究这些因素对测定年龄的影响及降低影响的方法。     

磷灰石低温热年代学技术及在塔里木盆地演化研究中的应用

随着磷灰石低温热年代学技术理论研究的不断完善和发展,它已被广泛用于地质体定年、构造-热演化、地形地貌演化等研究领域。该文首先对磷灰石裂变径迹和(U-Th)/He热定年技术近几年的研究进展进行了综述,在此基础上阐述了低温热年代学方法在塔里木盆地构造-热历史和物源分析领域的应用效果。多组分动力学退火模型的建立、激光剥蚀ICP-MS方法的提出及裂变径迹自动测试仪的开发极大地推动了磷灰石裂变径迹技术的发展。对于磷灰石(U-Th)/He热定年技术,FT-等效圆校正模型极大地降低了He年龄校正过程中产生的误差;辐射损伤捕获扩散模型首次揭示了晶格缺陷对4 He扩散的影响模式;辐射损伤积累和退火模型有效地解释了克拉通盆地部分磷灰石样品裂变径迹年龄小于He年龄的现象。塔里木盆地巴楚隆起的低温热年代学数据和热史模拟结果揭示出巴楚隆起自中生代以来曾经历过185~140Ma、140~100Ma、75~50 Ma等三期快速隆升事件,主要是由羌塘地体、拉萨地体、印度板块与欧亚板块南缘碰撞引起的。塔北隆起钻孔内浅部样品的磷灰石裂变径迹年龄和(U-Th)/He年龄都大于相应的地层年龄,记录的是物源区南天山的热信息;其热史模拟结果揭示出南天山曾经历过晚中新世—早上新世(15~5 Ma)一期快速隆升事件,并以此构建了塔里木盆地北部与南天山晚中新世—上新世构造-沉积耦合演化模式。     

(U-Th)/He测年技术:α离子射出效应及其校正

(u-Th)/He测年技术是近年来低温热年代学研究领域快速发展的一个重要分支,被应用于磷灰石、锆石、榍石、石榴子石等多种矿物,并且磷灰石(U-Th)/He在目前已知的所用低温热年代学指标中具有最低的封闭温度和较强的热敏感性,此外矿物的(U-Th)/He分析还可用来反演样品所经历的热历史,因此该技术在地质学中得到了广泛的应用.随着对(U-Th)/He方法研究程度的提高,影响测年结果的各种因素也被相继发现和认识.从(U-Th)/He测年的基本原理出发,详细介绍了矿物内 α离子的射出效应及其对氦年龄计算的影响与校正,进一步说明了矿物成分环带、晶体形状、比表面积等因素对于氦年龄校正的作用,并详细阐述了已有的针对这些因素的不同校正模型的原理、特点、发展历程以及前缘研究方向.     

矿物中4He同位素提取和含量测定研究

(U-Th)/He定年是一种有效的低温热年代学定年技术,现已被广泛应用于地质研究的各个领域,而矿物中4He同位素的有效提取和含量准确测定是该技术的关键。磷灰石和锆石是(U-Th)/He定年最常用的矿物,其4He提取条件及铀钍含量测定方法都较为成熟;而其他矿物(如磁铁矿、橄榄石、针铁矿、石榴子石等)的研究则相对较少。文章介绍了当前国内外(U-Th)/He研究中采用的4He同位素提取方法———真空炉加热法和激光加热法,激光加热法因具有低4He背景值和耗时短的优点而成为主要的提取方法。以磷灰石样品测试为例,介绍了成都地质矿产研究所建立的采用激光加热法和四极杆质谱提取4He同位素及其含量测量过程、含量计算和校正方法。指出未来(U-Th)/He测试技术除继续改进现有分析方法外,应加强对更多不同矿物的测试研究。     

苏鲁造山带东段新生代两阶段剥露事件的磷灰石(U-Th)/He热年代学证据

苏鲁造山带位于华北和华南板块之间,是中国东部最显著的陆内造山带之一,约束其新生代剥露过程对于理解中国东部盆山格局分布及其动力学机制具有重要意义.低温热年代学方法由于封闭温度较低,能更准确地约束上地壳地质体的剥露过程.利用磷灰石(U-Th)/He方法,对苏鲁造山带东部的多福山和锯齿山开展研究.磷灰石(U-Th)/He年龄...     

国际标样Durango磷灰石(U-Th)/He年龄测定

人们认识到可以用放射性成因4He对矿物进行定年已经有一百年的历史,但是利用富含U、Th的矿物进行(U-Th)/He定年是近三十年来快速发展的一种低温(热)年代学方法。由于U-Th-He同位素体系的封闭温度低(磷灰石4He的封闭温度为~75℃),该方法极大的拓展了中低温热年代学研究(如40Ar/39Ar,裂变径迹等)的温度范围下限,已经被广泛应用于浅表地质过程的研究中。Durango磷灰石是国际上广泛使用的磷灰石(U-Th)/He定年的标准样品,准确测定其年龄可以对实验方法及流程的可靠性进行验证。中国科学院地质与地球物理研究所(U-Th)/He定年实验室建立于2013年,经过一年多的实验与摸索,我们建立了完整、可行的化学分析流程和仪器测试流程,并采用Durango国际标样进行了流程验证。重复测定了4批共40个Durango磷灰石颗粒,40个年龄结果分布在28.95~34.11Ma之间,全部年龄的概率分布峰值为31.61±2.7Ma,与国际标定值在误差范围内一致;Th/U比范围为16.43~23.72,与国际报道值一致,表明我们所建立的实验流程准确可行,实验室已经可以稳定运行。     

运城盆地不同构造单元埋藏与热演化史对比研究

正沉积盆地的埋藏和热演化史研究对盆地分析研究和油气勘探具有重要意义(Zuo et al,2011; Hu et al,2001; Qiu et al,2012)。在沉积盆地的热演化史研究中,区分埋藏过程中的加热事件和抬升剥蚀期间造成的冷却事件尤为重要。(U-Th)/He定年方法是一种放射性同位素低温定年方法,具有低温敏感性(磷灰石封闭温度为70℃,锆石封闭温度为180℃)和精度高的特点,是近年来国际上新发展     

锆石(U-Th)/He定年技术研究

锆石(U-Th)/He定年是同位素热年代学体系中重要的定年手段,是记录地质体完整热历史重要的实验方法之一,在火山岩定年、造山带演化、地貌演化、沉积盆地热演化及限定矿床热液活动时代等应用方面发挥着重要的作用。中国地质科学院地质研究所同位素热年代学实验室成功建立了锆石(U-Th)/He定年的实验方法,实验主要包括三个独立的过程:样品前处理、He含量分析和U、Th含量分析。氦同位素质谱仪对锆石样品的氦同位素比值分析精度约为0.1%左右;ICP-MS对锆石的U、Th同位素比值分析精度通常情况下优于1%。对国际上普遍使用的FCT锆石和斯里兰卡锆石标样进行(U-Th)/He年龄测定。测试结果显示27粒FCT锆石(U-Th)/He年龄分布在25.81~30.72Ma之间,加权平均年龄为28.18±0.51Ma(1σ)(参考值为28.3±2.6Ma);20粒斯里兰卡锆石碎片(U-Th)/He年龄分布在445.5~489.5Ma之间,排除异常值后加权平均值为479.0±8.0Ma(1σ)(参考值为470±11Ma)。所测两个标准物质的年龄均与参考值一致,表明本实验室的实验流程准确可靠。本实验方法的建立填补了我国锆石(U-Th)/He定年实验方法的空白,为我国热年代学的发展提供了新的技术支撑。     

Fish Canyon Tuff榍石He扩散及(U- Th)/He年代学研究

榍石富含U和Th,是(U-Th)/He定年的理想矿物之一。本文以Fish Canyon Tuff榍石为例,开展了榍石He扩散行为和榍石(U-Th)/He定年实验方法研究。榍石分步加热扩散实验结果表明He扩散系数ln(D/a²)与温度倒数呈负相关,与期望的热活化扩散过程一致。测试Fish Canyon Tuff榍石(U-Th)/He年龄分布在28.3～24.6 Ma之间,平均值为26.7±1.2 Ma (1σ),Th/U分布在4.6～5.5之间,平均值为5.2±0.2,在误差范围内与国际上已出版数据一致,表明建立的榍石(U-Th)/He定年实验方法可靠。本次测试15粒榍石碎片外表层(～20μm)存在不同程度的磨蚀(即不完整晶体),且榍石表层磨蚀厚度随着等效半径的增加而增大。榍石碎片(U-Th)/He年龄介于完整晶体(U-Th)/He年龄和真实(U-Th)/He年龄之间,且随着榍石等效半径及表层磨蚀厚度(<20μm)的增大,(U-Th)/He年龄更接近真实年龄,这表明榍石(U-Th)/He年龄不确定度与等效半径大小和表层磨蚀厚度有关。     

非稀释剂法电感耦合等离子体质谱测定磷灰石中铀钍钐同位素的含量

准确测定238U、232Th、147Sm同位素含量是磷灰石(U-Th)/He同位素定年方法的关键。本文建立了非稀释剂法电感耦合等离子体质谱测定磷灰石中238U、232Th和147Sm同位素含量的测定流程。该方法假定样品中的238 U、232 Th和147 Sm同位素丰度与其自然丰度是一致的,根据238 U、232 Th和147 Sm同位素的自然丰度和测得的样品中总的U、Th和Sm的含量得到样品中238U、232Th和147Sm同位素的含量。对国内玄武岩标准物质和(U-Th)/He定年法的年龄标准物质Durango磷灰石进行了总U、Th、Sm含量的测试,验证流程的可行性,结果表明玄武岩标准物质的测定值与标准值在误差范围内一致,经计算得到该磷灰石的(U-Th)/He年龄为30.0 Ma,与文献获得的该磷灰石(U-Th)/He年龄(31.02±1.01)Ma(1σ)在误差范围内一致,表明本文建立的238U、232Th和147Sm同位素含量的测定流程是可行的。对于没有稀释剂的实验室,该方法简单适用,值得推广应用。     

Apatite (U-Th)/He thermochronometry using a radiation damage accumulation and annealing model

Helium diffusion from apatite is a sensitive function of the volume fraction of radiation damage to the crystal, a quantity that varies over the lifetime of the apatite. Using recently published laboratory data we develop and investigate a new kinetic model, the radiation damage accumulation and annealing model (RDAAM), that adopts the effective fission-track density as a proxy for accumulated radiation damage. This proxy incorporates creation of crystal damage proportional to α-production from U and Th decay, and the elimination of that damage governed by the kinetics of fission-track annealing. The RDAAM is a version of the helium trapping model (HeTM; Shuster D. L., Flowers R. M. and Farley K. A. (2006) The influence of natural radiation damage on helium diffusion kinetics in apatite. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett.249, 148-161), calibrated by helium diffusion data in natural and partially annealed apatites. The chief limitation of the HeTM, now addressed by RDAAM, is its use of He concentration as the radiation damage proxy for circumstances in which radiation damage and He are not accumulated and lost proportionately from the crystal.By incorporating the RDAAM into the HeFTy computer program, we explore its implications for apatite (U-Th)/He thermochronometry. We show how (U-Th)/He dates predicted from the model are sensitive to both effective U concentration (eU) and details of the temperature history. The RDAAM predicts an effective He closure temperature of 62 °C for a 28 ppm eU apatite of 60 μm radius that experienced a 10 °C/Ma monotonic cooling rate; this is 8 °C lower than the 70 °C effective closure temperature predicted using commonly assumed Durango diffusion kinetics. Use of the RDAAM is most important for accurate interpretation of (U-Th)/He data for apatite suites that experienced moderate to slow monotonic cooling (1-0.1 °C/Ma), prolonged residence in the helium partial retention zone, or a duration at temperatures appropriate for radiation damage accumulation followed by reheating and partial helium loss. Under common circumstances the RDAAM predicts (U-Th)/He dates that are older, sometimes much older, than corresponding fission-track dates. Nonlinear positive correlations between apatite (U-Th)/He date and eU in apatites subjected to the same temperature history are a diagnostic signature of the RDAAM for many but not all thermal histories.Observed date-eU correlations in four different localities can be explained with the RDAAM using geologically reasonable thermal histories consistent with independent fission-track datasets. The existence of date-eU correlations not only supports a radiation damage based kinetic model, but can significantly limit the range of acceptable time-temperature paths that account for the data. In contrast, these datasets are inexplicable using the Durango diffusion model. The RDAAM helps reconcile enigmatic data in which apatite (U-Th)/He dates are older than expected using the Durango model when compared with thermal histories based on apatite fission-track data or other geological constraints. It also has the potential to explain at least some cases in which (U-Th)/He dates are actually older than the corresponding fission-track dates.     

一种约束盆地低温热历史的裂变径迹技术

裂变径迹(FT)技术是根据矿物中铀裂变产生的辐射损伤特性进行分析的低温热年代技术。随着对FT退火行为和实验退火模型研究的深入,使得这一技术成为约束沉积盆地低温热历史的重要手段。Laslett等、Crowley等和Ketcham等先后提出3个重要的磷灰石FT实验退火模型,其中以Ketcham等的退火模型研究最为深入,它分析了磷灰石类型、时间、温度和化学成分对其径迹退火的影响,使用c轴投射径迹长度和Dpar等参数,形成了描述磷灰石FT多元动力学退火的数学模型。锆石FT与U-Th/He技术、Ro值、地表温度和地层年龄等,均是约束磷灰石FT热历史重建的重要约束条件,HeFTy(2009)是进行低温热历史模拟的主要软件之一。     

Duluth Complex FC1 Apatite and Zircon: Reference Materials for (U-Th)/He Dating?

The accuracy and validation of geo- and thermochronological dating hinges on the availability of well-characterised age reference materials. The Mesoproterozoic gabbroic anorthosite FC1 from the Duluth Complex, Minnesota is a reference material for zircon U-Pb and a suggested reference material for apatite fission-track dating. We evaluate FC1 as (U-Th)/He reference material, and determine its apatite U-Pb, and zircon and apatite (U-Th)/He age. Our dating results constrain the thermal history of FC1, showing that fast cooling occurred between ~ 1099 and 1040 Ma from ≥ 600 °C to ~ 200 °C. The zircon (U-Th)/He data from air-abraded grains give a robust isochron age of 1037 ± 25 Ma (2s) without overdispersion. The within-grain homogeneity of U and Th, the availability of FC1 zircon, and the absence of radiation-damage effects on the (U-Th)/He age support its use as reference material. Unabraded zircon grains give lower and more dispersed ages, highlighting the usefulness of air abrasion to control for α-ejection in (U-Th)/He dating. Our apatite (U-Th-Sm)/He single-grain ages vary between 180 and 300 Ma. Their wide dispersion argues against the use of FC1 apatite as (U-Th-Sm)/He reference material and makes the interpretation of their low-temperature thermal history complicated.     

（U-Th）/He定年——低温热年代学研究的一种新技术

近年来（U-Th）/He定年方法在技术和低温热年代学应用上的优势吸引人们以此开展构造、地形地貌演化等的研究；与裂变径迹、K Ar、Ar Ar等定年方法的比较，该方法是有效的；人们研究了温度及矿物粒径对He扩散的影响，确定了校正方法。（U-Th）/He的封闭温度低于其它体系（磷灰石的仅为75℃±）；有质谱仪只需数十毫克样品就能获得 U、Th、He含量；有较裂变径迹法快速、省样、省力的优点；该技术虽还有待完善，但仍不失为开展低温热年代学和低温热演化研究的潜在有效方法。     

川东北地区构造-热演化探讨——来自（U-Th）／He年龄和Ro的约束

利用镜质组反射率和磷灰石与锆石的(U-Th)/He年龄一起模拟了川东北地区三叠纪以来的构造-热演化特征。结果表明早三叠世的热流值在51～66mW/m2,自晚三叠世至白垩纪随盆地性质由前陆盆地演化为陆内坳陷盆地,热流缓慢降低直至现今的44.5mW/m2。但在晚白垩世—古新世时期受燕山晚期构造运动的影响,热流有一个微弱增高的现象。同时,磷灰石和锆石的He年龄揭示了川东北地区大致在晚白垩世期间开始隆升且抬升剥蚀量较大。因此,磷灰石和锆石的(U-Th)/He年龄可以揭示后期详细的冷却历史。     

U and Th zonation in apatite observed by laser ablation ICPMS, and implications for the (U-Th)/He system

A laser-ablation inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry technique was developed to measure U, Th, and Ce zonation in polished sections of apatite for assessing the consequences of parent zonation for (U-Th)/He thermochronometry. The technique produces concentration maps with an averaging length-scale of ∼20 μm, comparable to the α-stopping distance, and a precision of ∼5% down to few ppm concentration levels. A model was developed to transform the measured concentration distribution into a simplified representation for use in spherical-geometry He production-diffusion models. To illustrate these methods, 30 sections of apatite from a single granite (GC863) were mapped. Every analyzed apatite from GC863 is zoned, with most grains having variable thickness rims and terminations that are enriched in U and Th by about a factor of three over the grain cores.Parent zonation has three independent effects on (U-Th)/He He ages: it influences the α ejection correction, the ⁴He concentration profile which governs diffusive loss, and, via radiation damage trap accumulation, spatial variability of diffusivity within the crystal. If the observed zonation is typical of the apatite population in GC863, use of the standard homogenous α ejection correction would cause He ages to be on average 3% too young, and with a large amount of grain-to-grain variability (9% too young in the most rim-enriched case to 6% too old in a core-enriched case). Independent of the ejection correction, the concentration profile modifies the effective closure temperature of the apatites by placing more (or less) ⁴He near the grain edge. The parent zonation in GC863 apatites causes closure temperatures to range from four degrees lower (rim-enriched case) to two degrees higher (core-enriched case) than applies in the homogenous case. Alpha ejection and concentration profile effects on He age are additive and of the same sense. In the case of typical grains in GC863 cooled between 1 and 10 °C/Ma, the two effects are roughly equal in magnitude. The effects of intracrystalline variations in radiation damage trap accumulation become apparent at slow cooling rates (1 °C/Ma). For example, in rim-enriched GC863 grains cooled at 1 °C/Ma, preferential accumulation of radiation damage traps near the grain rim almost compensates for the higher loss rate expected of ⁴He also located preferentially near the rim. Under some circumstances strong rim-enrichment may actually increase the effective closure temperature of an apatite. Zonation at the level observed in GC863 modifies the ⁴He/³He spectra substantially from that expected from a uniform distribution. Measured ⁴He/³He spectra are strikingly similar to predictions based on the mapped eU distributions of the very same crystals, supporting the overall validity of the analytical and interpretive approach presented here.The magnitude and style of U, Th zonation documented in GC863 is one possible source of frequently observed over-dispersion of apatite (U-Th)/He ages as well as anomalous ⁴He/³He spectra.     

Electrodynamic Disaggregation: Does it Affect Apatite Fission-Track and (U-Th)/He Analyses?

Apatite fission-track and (U-Th)/He analyses require the liberation of intact idiomorphic apatite grains from rock samples. While routinely being carried out by mechanical methods, electrodynamic disaggregation (ED) offers an alternative approach. The high-voltage discharges produced during the ED process create localised temperature peaks (10000 K) along a narrow plasma channel. In apatite, such high temperatures could potentially reduce the length of fission tracks, which start to anneal at temperatures > 60 °C, and could also enhance He diffusion, which becomes significant at 30–40 °C over geological time scales. A comparison of fission-track analyses and (U-Th)/He ages of apatites prepared both by mechanical (jaw crusher, disk mill) and ED processing provides a way of determining whether heating during the latter method has any significant effect. Apatites from three samples of different geological settings (an orthogneiss from Madagascar, the Fish Canyon Tuff, and a muscovite-gneiss from Greece) yielded statistically identical track length distributions compared to samples prepared mechanically. Additionally, (U-Th)/He ages of apatites from a leucogranite from Morocco prepared by both methods were indistinguishable. These first results indicated that during electrodynamic disaggregation apatite crystals were not heated enough to partially anneal the fission tracks or induce significant diffusive loss of He.     

念扎金矿床热历史:锆石U-Pb、(U-Th)/He及磷灰石裂变径迹年代学的制约

念扎金矿床是近年来最新发现的位于雅鲁藏布江缝合带南侧仁布构造混杂岩带与蚀变闪长岩接触带的大型造山型金矿床.为约束念扎矿床的冷却及剥露历史,利用锆石的U-Pb、(U-Th)/He及磷灰石裂变径迹定年对新鲜及矿化闪长岩年龄进行测定.结果表明,新鲜闪长岩锆石U-Pb年龄为(46.32±0.53)Ma,(U-Th)/He年龄介于(7.14±0.24)Ma到(9.80±0.27)Ma,矿化闪长岩锆石(U-Th)/He年龄介于(8.38±0.24)Ma到(11.19±0.31)Ma之间,两件矿化闪长岩磷灰石裂变径迹年龄分别为(5.9±0.5)Ma和(5.3±1.0)Ma.念扎金矿床自闪长岩固结以来经历了两次快速冷却过程:第一次是从46.3 Ma开始持续到43.6 Ma,温度从750℃降至350℃,冷却速率高达约148℃/Ma;第二次为8.5~2.0 Ma,温度从约200℃降至30℃,冷却速率为26℃/Ma.念扎矿床成矿深度为9.7 km;在8.5 Ma时,矿床被抬升至4.6 km处;从8.5~5.6 Ma,矿床抬升至2.8 km;从5.6~2.0 Ma,念扎矿床被剥露至地表.