40Ar/39Ar ages of flood basalt provinces in Russia and China and their possible link to global faunal extinction events: A cautionary tale regarding alteration and loss of 40Ar1

The hypothesis that the Permo–Triassic boundary (PTB) mass extinctions were caused by flood basalt volcanism in Russia (Siberian Traps) and/or China (the Emeishan Traps) is investigated from the point of view of time of occurrence (⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages). Numerous published ages in the literature are rejected as good estimates of the time of crystallization. The filters applied in this respect are (a) statistical reliability of plateau/isochron sections of stepheating data and (b) the alteration state of the material that was dated. Alteration appears to be ubiquitous, unsurprising since most of the material dated was used without acid leaching – a procedure that is effective in yielding fresh(er) samples. Of ∼70 ages in the literature for the main pulse of Siberian Trap volcanism, less than ten prove to be reliable ages. Similar techniques applied to ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar for the Emeishan Traps, leaves only a single reliable age for the magmatic episode. These ages are compared to both published and new ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages for the PTB as based on analysis of minerals from critical ash beds in China. There is good overlap in the ages (PTB – 250.0 ± 0.1 Ma, Siberian Trap lavas – 250.1 ± 0.4 Ma), lending credence to a genetic link between the formation of the Siberian Traps and the faunal extinction event at the PTB. A similar link for the formation of the Viluy Traps (Russia) and the Late Devonian extinction event is investigated; only a single reliable ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age is available for the Viluy Traps, and falls close to the interpolated age for the Frasnian–Fammenian boundary. The use of the unspiked K–Ar technique to yield accurate ages for such (altered) samples is questioned.A review of U–Pb data pertinent to these problems suggests a close temporal link between the formation of the Siberian Traps and the PTB. Comparison of U–Pb and ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages for the PTB, raises questions about the accuracy of high precision sanidine ages, possibly resulting from very slow leakage of ⁴⁰Ar¹ from this mineral.     

40Ar/39Ar geochronology and palynology of the Cerro Negro Formation,South Shetland Islands,Antarctica: A new radiometric tie for Cretaceous terrestrial biostratigraphy in the Southern Hemisphere

The upper part of the Jurassic‐Cretaceous Byers Group, exposed on Byers Peninsula in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica, consists of 1.4 km of non‐marine strata assigned to the Cerro Negro Formation. Silicic pyroclastic units close to the base of the formation have yielded new ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages of 120.3 ± 2.2 Ma on plagioclase from one horizon, and 119.4 ± 0.6 and 119.1 ± 0.8 Ma on biotite and plagioclase from a second horizon. Plagioclase from a welded ignimbrite close to the topmost exposed part of the formation has given an ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age of 119 ± 3.0 Ma. These ages indicate that the Cerro Negro Formation was deposited during a relatively short period in early Aptian times. The identification of palynomorph taxa has enabled us to propose correlations for the Cerro Negro Formation with spore/pollen zonations of South America and Australia. The presence of Interulobites pseudoreticulatus, Appendicisporites and F. wonthaggiensis in the Cerro Negro Formation supports correlation with the Interulobites‐Foraminisporis and the lower part of the tectifera‐corrugatus zones in southern South America. The presence of Foraminisporis asymmetricus and other palynomorphs suggests correlation with the Cyclosporites hughesii Interval Zone of early to late Aptian age in Australia. These data represent a valuable addition to the few radiometric ties available for Mesozoic terrestrial palynostratigraphy in the Southern Hemisphere.     

Timing of gold mineralisation in the Ballarat goldfields,central Victoria: Constraints from 40Ar/39Ar results

⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar data for muscovite separates and hydrothermally altered whole‐rock samples from the Ballarat West and the Ballarat East goldfields indicate that mesothermal gold mineralisation at Ballarat occurred during several episodic pulses, ranging in age from the Late Ordovician to the Early Devonian. Initial formation of auriferous structures in the Ballarat goldfields coincided with folding and thrusting associated with the development of the western Lachlan Fold Belt between 460 and 440 Ma. Subsequent fault reactivation and magmatism resulted in remobilisation and additional mineralisation between 410 and 380 Ma, and around 370 Ma. The results presented herein are in agreement with findings for other major gold deposits in central Victoria and further constrain the history of deformation, metamorphism and mineralisation in the western subprovince of the Lachlan Fold Belt.     

The tectonic evolution of Cenozoic extensional basins,northeast Brazil: Geochronological constraints from continental basalt 40Ar/39Ar ages

The Boa Vista and Cubati Basins, Paraíba, Brazil, are NW–SE extension-related intracratonic basins that resulted from tectonic stresses after the opening of the South Atlantic. These basins contain lacustrine fossiliferous sediments, bentonite beds, and basalt flows that preserve Cenozoic continental records. ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages for six whole-rocks from two distinct basaltic flows underlying the sediments in the Boa Vista basin are 27.3 ± 0.8 and 25.4 ± 1.3 Ma, while three grains from a basaltic flow overlying the sediments yield 22.0 ± 0.2 Ma. The sediments at the nearby Cubati Basin are overlain by a basalt flow with ages of ∼25.4 Ma. Three whole-rocks from an NE–SW-trending trachytic dyke cross cutting the sediments at the Boa Vista Basin yield ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages of ∼12.45 ± 0.06, 12.59 ± 0.07, and 12.58 ± 0.07 Ma. Three whole-rocks from a nearby volcanic plug (Chupador) yield an age of 23.4 ± 0.1 Ma. The geochronological results combined with stratigraphic correlations between the two basins allow bracketing the age of the main sedimentary and bentonic units within the Boa Vista and Cubati Basins between 25.5 ± 1.3 and 24.9 ± 0.1 Ma. The ages, combined with field observations reveal that the formation of the Boa Vista and Cubati basins is associated with mantle-derived magmas channelled through reactivated Precambrian shear zones. Our geochronological results suggest that a temporal link with the Fernando de Noronha and Saint Helena hot spots can be excluded as possible sources of the Boa Vista and Cubati magmas. Rather, the extensional tectonics in the 30–20 Ma interval, long after Gondwana break-up, may be associated with the re-activation of continental-scale shear zones that channelled small batches of mantle-derived magmas.     

Timing of Cadomian and Variscan tectonothermal activity,La Hague and Alderney,North Armorican Massif: Evidence from 40Ar/39Ar mineral ages

The La Hague region of northwest France exposes Palaeo-Proterozoic Icartian gneisses which were reworked and intruded by calc-alkaline plutonic rocks during the Cadomian Orogeny (about 700–500 Ma). ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar mineral cooling ages have been determined to clarify the timing of the regional metamorphism of orthogneisses and the emplacement of quartz diorite plutons in this region. Metamorphic amphiboles within Icartian gneisses display discordant ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar apparent age spectra interpreted to result from limited Variscan (about 350–300 Ma) overprinting of intracrystalline argon systems which initially cooled through post-metamorphic hornblende closure temperatures during the Cadomian at about 600 Ma. Igneous hornblendes from the weakly foliated Jardeheu and Moulinet quartz diorites record isotope correlation ages of 599 ± 2 and 561 ± 2 Ma, respectively. Igneous hornblende and biotite from foliated quartz diorite on the nearby Channel Island of Alderney record isotope correlation ages of about 560 Ma. The results imply that metamorphic and plutonic events in the La Hague-Alderney region were approximately contemporaneous with those recorded on Guernsey and Sark, which are thus likely to have formed part of the same tectonic block during the Cadomian Orogeny.     

赣南淘锡坑钨多金属矿床花岗岩和云英岩岩石特征及云英岩中白云母^40Ar／^39Ar定年

赣南崇义县淘锡坑钨矿位于南岭东西向构造带东段,属于以黑钨矿石英脉型为主的钨多金属矿床。矿床形成与燕山期中酸性岩浆作用有密切关系,石英矿脉受一组北西向断裂控制,穿切新元古界。本文在淘锡坑钨矿区3个揭露到花岗岩体顶部的中段（206、106、56中段）采集到岩体顶部云英岩样品,利用40Ar/39Ar同位素定年测得云英岩中的白云母的坪年龄分别为152.7 ± 1.5 Ma（206中段）,153.4 ± 1.3 Ma（106中段）,155.0 ± 1.4 Ma（56中段）。与前人用其他方法测定的花岗岩成岩和成矿年龄几乎一致。花岗岩和云英岩全岩稀土元素均具有M型四分组效应和强烈的Eu亏损特征,反映出花岗质岩浆经历了高度分异演化及其岩体结晶晚期流体/熔体相互作用。综合前人在南岭地区同类矿床的研究资料,可知南岭地区160～150Ma成岩成矿作用主要分布于南岭中-东段,可能为大陆边缘弧后岩石圈伸展的构造动力学背景的产物。     

赣南淘锡坑钨多金属矿床花岗岩和云英岩岩石特征及云英岩中白云母40Ar/39Ar定年

赣南崇义县淘锡坑钨矿位于南岭东西向构造带东段,属于以黑钨矿石英脉型为主的钨多金属矿床。矿床形成与燕山期中酸性岩浆作用有密切关系,石英矿脉受一组北西向断裂控制,穿切新元古界。本文在淘锡坑钨矿区3个揭露到花岗岩体顶部的中段（206、106、56中段）采集到岩体顶部云英岩样品,利用40Ar/39Ar同位素定年测得云英岩中的白云母的坪年龄分别为152.7 ± 1.5 Ma（206中段）,153.4 ± 1.3 Ma（106中段）,155.0 ± 1.4 Ma（56中段）。与前人用其他方法测定的花岗岩成岩和成矿年龄几乎一致。花岗岩和云英岩全岩稀土元素均具有M型四分组效应和强烈的Eu亏损特征,反映出花岗质岩浆经历了高度分异演化及其岩体结晶晚期流体/熔体相互作用。综合前人在南岭地区同类矿床的研究资料,可知南岭地区160～150Ma成岩成矿作用主要分布于南岭中-东段,可能为大陆边缘弧后岩石圈伸展的构造动力学背景的产物。     

西藏林周基性岩脉的^40Ar/^39Ar年代学、地球化学及其成因

在西藏林周盆地林子宗火山岩地层中发现一套始新世钾玄质基性岩脉.测定了它们的主量元素、微量元素和稀土元素含量以及Sr-Nd-O同位素和^40Ar/^39Ar同位素地质年代.测试结果表明,岩脉以低硅（SiO2为45.42%～48.32%）、高镁（MgO为2.84%～5.35%,平均4.57%）、高钾高碱（K2O＋Na2O为4.60%～6.23%、K2O/Na2O为0.71～1.18）为特征,属于钾玄质基性岩脉;稀土和微量元素呈现陆缘火山弧的特征,即相对富集轻稀土元素、亏损重稀土元素,具有弱的Eu负异常（δEu=0.79～0.94,平均0.83）;强烈富集K、Rb、Sr、Ba、Th、Sr等大离子不相容元素,相对亏损Th、Nb、Ta、P、Zr、Hf、HREE等高场强元素,具有明显的Nb、Ta、Ti的负异常;Sr-Nd-O同位素组成上,具有相对原始的Sr、Nd同位素比值,初始^87Sr/^86Sr比值为0.70487～0.70543,143Nd/144Nd比值为0.51266～0.51273,εNd值为0.5～1.8,相对低的δ^18OV-SMOW值（4.8‰～7.6‰）;^40Ar/^39Ar角闪石单矿物年龄为52.9Ma.利用地幔地球化学示踪理论,推断林周钾玄质基性岩脉的形成与新特提斯洋岩石圈向欧亚大陆俯冲过程中的回转、断离以及由此引起的软流圈地幔的上涌等地球动力学过程有关,是软流圈地幔流体与先前被俯冲带流体交代过的上覆岩石圈地幔的部分熔融产物的混合,指示冈底斯带在古新世-始新世（55～50Ma）时期一次平行于造山带的伸展作用.     

柴北缘锡铁山韧性剪切带的基本特征及其形成时代

在柴北缘锡铁山地区元古宇达肯大坂群与奥陶系滩涧山群之间发育一条呈NW向展布的基底韧性剪切带。本文对该韧性剪切带中的宏观构造(鞘褶皱、不对称褶皱、塑性流变组构、S-C组构、旋转碎斑系、构造透镜体、粘滞型石香肠构造)和糜棱岩微观构造(云母鱼构造、压力影构造、动态重结晶、雪球状旋转构造、波状消光和云母扭折)特征作了详细的研究。对锡铁山基底韧性剪切带中花岗质糜棱岩进行白云母Ar-Ar同位素测年,获得坪年龄为398±4 Ma,等时线年龄为399±4 Ma,二者基本一致,代表了锡铁山基底韧性剪切带的形成时间。综合上述特征判断,锡铁山韧性剪切带是一条由元古宇达肯大坂群向SW斜向逆冲所形成的右行逆冲韧性剪切带,该韧性剪切带与早古生代柴达木地块向NE斜向俯冲碰撞造山作用有关,并可能导致了超高压变质体折返到浅部地壳层次。同样,该韧性剪切带的存在,也对锡铁山铅锌矿起到了十分重要的后期构造控制作用。     

藏北双湖鄂柔地区变质岩和玄武岩的40Ar/39Ar年龄及其意义

在藏北龙木错—双湖缝合带东段双湖鄂柔地区,获得绿泥阳起石片岩中阳起石矿物的40Ar/39Ar坪年龄为(235·9±2·6)Ma和枕状玄武岩中蚀变辉石斑晶的40Ar/39Ar坪年龄为(232·5±2·4)Ma,两个年龄具有极好的一致性,记录了中三叠世晚期—晚三叠世早期沿龙木错—双湖缝合带发生俯冲碰撞作用的构造-热事件。羌塘地区中三叠世晚期—晚三叠世早期的俯冲碰撞造山事件使得龙木错—双湖缝合带及其以北的大部分地区(即北羌塘盆地)转变为前陆盆地,区域上三叠统底部不整合面和底砾岩的发育是碰撞造山作用地质记录的重要标志。绿泥阳起石片岩的原岩主要为富含玄武岩的火山-沉积岩系,绿泥阳起石片岩和蚀变枕状玄武岩具有Ti O2、P2O5、MgO含量较高和LREE富集型、无Eu异常,以及“大隆起”微量元素配分模式和富集Nb、Ta、Ti元素等地球化学特征,显示为较典型的洋岛型碱性玄武岩性质。     

云南兰坪盆地喜马拉雅期碱性岩^40Ar／^39Ar年龄及地质意义

对侵位于云南兰坪中新生代红层盆地中的碱性岩进行了Ar_Ar同位素定年 ,获得永平卓潘碱性杂岩体的侵入年龄为 36 .70Ma,巍山莲花山碱性石英二长斑岩的侵入年龄为 38.81Ma。兰坪盆地的构造演化受控于古特提斯的闭合及印度与亚洲大陆碰撞的造山作用 ,盆地经历了陆内裂谷、拗陷盆地和走滑盆地 3个阶段的发育过程。喜马拉雅期盆地处于走滑拉分阶段 ,可分为 4个构造幕 ,碱性岩主要在第 1构造幕期间侵入。盆地中的碱性岩体是青藏高原东缘总体呈NW走向的金沙江红河巨型富碱侵入岩带的组成部分。金沙江红河断裂带经历由转换压扭变形(42～ 2 4Ma)到转换张扭变形 (2 4～ 16Ma)、再到东西向伸展 (<16Ma)的过程 ,兰坪盆地的碱性岩发育于转换压扭变形期间。认为兰坪盆地碱性斑岩的侵入和盆地的喜马拉雅期构造演化主要受控于古特提斯扬子地块向西的俯冲板片遗迹引发的地幔上隆和部分熔融     

四川大水沟碲矿床^40Ar／^39Ar年龄研究

利用＾４０Ａｒ／＾３９Ａｒ中子活化定年法测试大水沟碲矿床１２号矿脉中的白云母，得到阶段升温坪年龄９１．０－９４．１０Ｍａ，等时线年龄９３．７０Ｍａ。     

风化壳40Ar/39Ar年代学研究意义：进展、问题与展望

风化壳是不同地质历史时期风化作用的环境和物质记录,其组成、厚度、成熟度、保存程度等是古气候条件、区域构造活动性及地貌演化的直接反映。风化壳的形成年代是风化壳研究的关键内容,精确的风化壳年龄数据是查明一系列区域甚至全球事件的重要途径。风化壳中次生矿物（主要是钡硬锰矿族矿物和明矾石族矿物）的40Ar/39Ar年代学研究首次实现了对风化壳和风化作用的直接和精确定年,所获得的年龄数据为风化壳的形成演化、区域古气候古环境恢复、化学风化历史与矿床次生富集过程及新构造运动和山脉隆升历史等一系列重大地质问题的解决提供了重要途径。然而,风化壳中次生矿物定年存在的潜在问题及风化壳剖面取样的不完整性,有可能使风化壳的年龄分布变得相当复杂,导致对化学风化历史、风化壳形成过程和形成环境等的认识出现困难。为此,必须开展对风化壳的详细野外地质研究和精细取样,并综合采用多种先进测试手段,才能获得可靠的风化壳年龄数据。在对风化壳年龄数据进行解释时,还需要系统分析多种地质、环境资料（如古生物、盆地沉积物等）,才可能获得有意义的地貌、构造和古气候信息。我国华南地区广泛分布的红色风化壳中含有丰富的钡硬锰矿族矿物,是研究该区新生代以来化学风化、大规模次生富集成矿及古气候古环境演变的理想对象。     

黑龙江省鸡西盆地基性岩40Ar/39Ar同位素定年及其地质意义

黑龙江省鸡西盆地张新地区辉绿玢岩呈岩床状侵入晚中生代城子河组地层中;辉绿玢岩较纯净,无捕虏体,呈斑状结构,斑晶由普通辉石、斜长石组成,斑晶体积分数为35%～40%;基质由微晶斜长石、辉石、磁铁矿及玻璃质组成。辉绿玢岩⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar同位素定年结果表明,其等时线年龄与坪年龄在误差范围内较为接近,该辉绿玢岩的形成时代介于96～101 Ma,即形成于早白垩世晚期-晚白垩世早期的Albian-Cenomanian阶。结合区域上该期岩浆事件的特点,暗示早白垩世晚期-晚白垩世时期鸡西盆地处于古太平洋板块(Izanagi-Kula 板块 )向东亚大陆边缘斜向俯冲背景之下的弧后伸展环境。     

阿拉斯加北坡盆地楚科奇海域层序格架

阿拉斯加北坡盆地经历了石炭纪—中侏罗世的被动大陆边缘阶段、中侏罗世—早白垩世的波弗特海裂谷阶段、早白垩世晚期—现今的布鲁克斯造山和前陆盆地阶段,盆山格局在古生代和现今发生了反转。盆地楚科奇海域可划分为4个一级层序与8个二级层序:4个一级层序为富兰克林巨层序、埃尔斯米尔巨层序、波弗特海裂谷巨层序、布鲁克林巨层序,层序界面分别为T_(100)、JU、K1;8个二级层序为下埃尔斯米尔超层序(SQ1)、中埃尔斯米超层序(SQ2)、上埃尔斯米尔超层序(SQ3)、下波弗特海裂谷超层序(SQ4)、上波弗特海裂谷超层序(SQ5)、下布鲁克林超层序(SQ6)、中布鲁克林超层序(SQ7)、上布鲁克林超层序(SQ8),层序界面分别为MU、PU、LCU、MAU、MBU。楚科奇海域的有利勘探区带为汉娜坳陷。     

苏鲁超高压变质带东海青龙山高压正片麻岩中白云母的^40Ar／^39Ar年代学研究

作为东海青龙山榴辉岩围岩的高压变质的正片麻岩，其白云母的常规^40Ar／^39Ar年龄和Rb—Sr、Sm—Nd年龄一致，激光微区Ar同位素分析表明，白云母的Ar同位素分布也是均匀的。由此得出的初步结论是：①高压变质的正片麻岩中的白云母中不含过剩Ar，这类矿物可以作为^40Ar／^39Ar同位素测年的对象；②青龙山榴辉岩中的白云母含大量过剩氩，而作为其围岩的超高压正片麻岩中的白云母却不含过剩氩，这一事实证明了榴辉岩中白云母的过剩氩不是来自围岩，而是榴辉岩自身继承的。     

10Be ages of late Pleistocene deglaciation and Neoglaciation in the north‐central Brooks Range,Arctic Alaska

We present a chronology of late Pleistocene deglaciation and Neoglaciation for two valleys in the north‐central Brooks Range, Alaska, using cosmogenic ¹⁰Be exposure dating. The two valleys show evidence of ice retreat from the northern range front before ～16–15 ka, and into individual cirques by ～14 ka. There is no evidence for a standstill or re‐advance during the Lateglacial period, indicating that a glacier advance during the Younger Dryas, if any, was less extensive than during the Neoglaciation. The maximum glacier expansion during the Neoglacial is delimited by moraines in two cirques separated by about 200 km and dated to 4.6 ± 0.5 and 2.7 ± 0.2 cal ka BP. Both moraine ages agree with previously published lichen‐inferred ages, and confirm that glaciers in the Brooks Range experienced multiple advances of similar magnitude throughout the late Holocene. The similar extent of glaciers during the middle Holocene and the Little Ice Age may imply that the effect of decreasing summer insolation was surpassed by increasing aridity to limit glacier growth as Neoglaciation progressed. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

White mica 40Ar/39Ar age spectra and the timing of multiple episodes of high‐P metamorphic mineral growth in the Cycladic eclogite–blueschist belt,Syros, Aegean Sea,Greece

New geochronology from Syros in the Cycladic eclogite–blueschist belt, Aegean Sea, Greece, shows that ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar geochronology consistently dates microstructural events in metamorphic rocks. We demonstrate that the age spectra depend on microstructure in a predictable and systematic way. Ages can be inferred by applying the method of asymptotes and limits to data from the step ‐ heating experiments. The results are consistent with previously published estimates for the timing of a sequence of distinct and discrete episodes of high ‐ P metamorphic mineral growth observed regionally across this belt. Arrhenius plots from these experiments imply that phengitic white mica is highly retentive of argon, and therefore (if these data can be extrapolated to the natural environment) the ages can be interpreted as recording the timing of episodic deformation and metamorphism. Porphyroblastic growth begins: (i) for omphacite – jadeite–eclogite facies parageneses at c. 53 Ma; and (ii) for garnet – glaucophane facies parageneses at c. 47 Ma. The Kini Shear Zone started as an extensional post ‐ epidote–albite‐transitional–blueschist facies shear zone that had completed operation by c. 31 Ma. The scatter in ages is due to the effect of deformation, recrystallization and multiple growth events in shear zones that continued operating for 3 – 6 million years from the start of each episode.     

云南白马寨镍矿区煌斑岩^40Ar-^39Ar定年和地球化学特征

云南白马寨镍矿区煌斑岩全部为云煌岩.两个样品的40Ar/39Ar定年结果分别为32.46±0.62Ma和32.01±0.60Ma,表明矿区煌斑岩为哀牢山断裂带新生代早期高钾岩浆活动的产物.在化学组成上,矿区煌斑岩具有高M值[100×Mg/(Mg+Fe2+)](67.42～86.35)、高ALK(K2O+Na2O为7.01%～9.81%)、富钾(K2O/Na2O为1.66～2.64)、富大离子亲石元素(如Sr、Rb、Ba等)和LREE、明显的Ta、Nb、Ti负异常的特征.Sr-Nd同位素具有高(87Sr/86Sr)0比值(0.70625～0.70912)和低εNd(-5.22～-3.68)的特征,位于EM1和EM2地幔端元之间,有更靠近EM2的趋势.元素和同位素地球化学特征表明矿区煌斑岩的源区为交代富集地幔,进一步判别表明源岩处于尖晶石相方辉橄榄岩和石榴石相二辉橄榄岩的混合线上,以尖晶石相方辉橄榄岩为主.源区交代富集的矿物既有金云母,也有角闪石.岩浆演化过程中经历了橄榄石+斜长石±磷灰石±铁钛氧化物的结晶分异.岩浆形成于大陆弧的构造背景,俯冲的陆壳和古特提斯洋壳对富集的源区均有贡献.白马寨镍矿区煌斑岩和哀牢山断裂带新生代早期其它高钾岩浆岩具有相近的年代、一致的地球化学特征,表明它们具有相似的源区,受控于相同的构造背景.