Fission track tectonics: The tectonic interpretation of fission track apatite ages

Absolute uplift rates, regional uplift patterns, and time limits for uplift and fault movements can be studied with fission tracks in apatite. This is demonstrated for about 50 apatites from the Swiss and Italian Alps. Due to the relatively low thermal stability of tracks in apatite, the fission track ages of apatites from this area define the time when these rocks cooled down to temperatures to 125 ± 20°C.     

The effect of weathering on fission track dating

Fission track ages have been determined on sphene, apatite, and zircon separated from fresh and highly weathered rock samples. Sphene and zircon ages are unaffected by even extreme weathering. Apatite from partially weathered granite gives a similarly unaffected age. Badly corroded apatites from a residual clay, however, do show a 17% reduction in apparent age, involving loss of both spontaneous fission tracks and uranium from the crystals.     

Heat influx and exhumation of the Shimanto accretionary complex: Miocene fission track ages from the Kii Peninsula, southwest Japan

Abstract   To determine how local geological events contributed to the evolution of accretionary complexes and eventual exposure of rocks with different structural levels, geochronological mapping was carried out using fission track (FT) analysis at the Kii Peninsula, southwest Japan. At this site, the original zonal structure of Cretaceous accretionary complexes parallel to the subduction zone is disturbed by the northward projection of the Shimanto accretionary complex. Twenty-six zircon FT ages were obtained from an area of ∼12 km in an east–west direction and ∼15 km in a north–south direction, and classified into three groups: (i) ages ∼15 Ma (range ∼10–20 Ma), which are distributed along the northwest–southeast valley; (ii) ages of ∼50 Ma in the northwest of the study area; and (iii) ages older than those in Groups 1 and 2. Based on results from eight zircon FT length distributions, the Miocene ages appear to be the result of spatial variations in heat influx and cooling after the regional exhumation of the area, as recorded by FT ages of ∼50 Ma.     

Zircon and apatite fission track analyses on mineralization ages and tectonic activities of Tuwu-Yandong porphyry copper deposit in northern Xinjiang, China

The mineralization ages reported in the past in the Tuwu-Yandong copper district not only are different,but also fall into the Hercynian epoch.This study has achieved 9 zircon and 7 apatite fission track analysis results.The zircon fission track ages range from 158 Ma to 289 Ma and the apatite ages are between 64 Ma and 140 Ma.The mineralization accords with the regional tectonics in the copper district.We consider that the zircon fission track age could reveal the mineralization age based on annealing zone temperature of 140―300℃ and retention temperature of ～250℃ for zircon fission track,and metallogenetic temperature of 120―350℃ in this ore district.Total three mineralization epochs have been identified,i.e.,289―276 Ma,232―200 Ma and 165―158 Ma,and indicate occurrence of the min-eralization in the Indosinian and Yanshan epochs.Corresponding to apatite fission track ages,the three tectonic-mineralizing epochs are 140―132 Ma,109―97 Ma and 64 Ma,which means age at about 100℃ after the mineralization.The three epochs lasted 146 Ma,108 Ma and about 100 Ma from ～250℃ to ～100℃ and trend decrease from early to late.It is shown by the fission track modeling that this district underwent three stages of geological thermal histories,stable in Cretaceous and cooling both before Cretaceous and after 20 Ma.     

Fission track ages of North American tektites

Fission track ages of North American tektites from Texas, Georgia and Martha's vineyard range widely between 0.8 my and 34.2 my with the tektites from Georgia giving the lowest ages. Size studies of the fission track etch pits reveal the thermal history of each individual tektite resulting in the partial loss of tracks. Therefore, the measured fission track ages can be understood as thermally lowered.

Based on annealing experiments, correction factors for the thermally lowered fission track ages are found. The weighted mean of the corrected fission track ages is 34.9 my for the bediasites and the Martha's Vineyard tektite. On the other hand, the corrected fission track ages of the Georgia tektites are much lower resulting from a more complex thermal history.

It may now be stated that North American tektites and Libyan Desert glasses cannot have had a simultaneous origin.     

磷灰石裂变径迹退火动力学模型研究进展综述

裂变径迹退火过程是非线性动力学过程，在一系列磷灰石裂变径迹室内退火实验基础上，研究者提出许多经验退火模型，其中扇型模型与实验数据拟合最好，多组分退火模型将扇型模型的应用扩展到复杂物源成分的磷灰石，理论物理退火模型建立在原子尺度动力机制上，并经由实验数据确定具物理意义的未知参数，目前还不如经验模型成功，室内退火实验表明除了温度、受热时间，退火行为与磷灰石的化学成分，径迹与结晶c轴的方位关系、由Dpar定量表征的颗粒溶蚀度等因素有密切关系。     

Analyses of fission track etching and annealing phenomena in muscovite

Variation of fission track density with etching time has been analysed to standardize the etching conditions. The relations between the etching parameters (i.e., temperature, concentration and time) have been established. The differences in unheated samples and samples heated for different times at a constant temperature have been studied Graphs of thermal annealing vs. optimum etching time and of density reduction vs. length shrinkage have been constructed for applications in fission track geochronology.     

Age and intensity of thermal events by fission track analysis: The Ries impact crater

A thermal event reduces the number of previously registered fission tracks in a mineral dependent upon the track retention properties of the individual mineral. Apatite, sphene and zircon have retention properties over a wide range of temperatures (from 100° to 550°C); apatite data reveal information at lowest temperatures while sphene and zircon data are useful for higher temperatures.Thermal events within this temperature range of 100°C to about 550°C are suitable for study with this technique. The age of the event is determined from samples in which the fission tracks are completely erased, while minerals containing partially removed (erased) tracks provide information on the temperatures occurring during the thermal event.As a test case, the analysis of the temperatures developed by the meteorite impact which produced the Ries crater at 14.7 m.y. ago is presented.     

六盘山盆地热历史的裂变径迹证据

研究盆地的热历史将为确定生烃过程和探勘目标提供重要制约因素。磷灰石裂变径迹研究表明，六盘山盆地白垩系地层经历两次埋深加热事件。第一次在白垩经末之前达到最高古地温，第二次在晚新生代约8MaB.P.之前达到最高古地温.第一次最高古地温要高于第二次最高古地温.晚新生代六盘山盆地古地温梯度为16℃/km.从白垩纪到新生代,六盘山盆地可能发生古地温梯度降低事件.三叠纪、中侏罗统烃源岩达到或超过生油高峰温度.白垩纪乃家河组和马东山组虽然进入生油窗温度范围,但未达到生油峰温度.按照古地温资料推断,三叠纪、中侏罗统烃源岩应为六盘山盆地主要生烃源岩,晚白垩纪之前应为六盘山盆地烃源岩的主要生烃阶段.     

Longitudinal statistics of plasma bubbles: Possible tropospheric influence

The assumption about the possible influence of a tropospheric source on the nature of the longitudinal statistics variation (relative frequency of observation) of plasma bubbles determined by the He⁺ density in the upper ionosphere altitudes is tested. To do this, the statistics are comparatively analyzed with a number of characteristics of the ionosphere and thermosphere, the longitudinal changes of which can be related to the DE3 tidal wave generated in the troposphere. Evidence of the possible influence of the troposphere on the longitudinal statistics of plasma bubbles has been obtained. Based on qualitative analysis, it was found that the thermospheric winds modulated by the DE3 tidal wave can link these statistics with processes in the troposphere.     

滇西临沧花岗岩基新生代剥蚀冷却的裂变径迹证据

为揭示临沧花岗岩基的剥蚀冷却历史,探讨印藏碰撞对滇西的影响,对6块临沧花岗岩基样品进行锆石和磷灰石裂变径迹测定,并利用模拟退火法对其中5块样品的磷灰石裂变径迹数据进行非线性热史反演,估算了不同时期的剥蚀量和抬升量. 结果表明,岩基自印藏陆陆碰撞以来经历了两期冷却事件,早期冷却速率仅5～10 ℃/Ma,晚期冷却速率明显增高,特别是近3 Ma以来的冷却速率达到16～20 ℃/Ma;两期总剥蚀厚度可达3300～3500 m. 分析表明冷却事件与印藏碰撞关系密切,早期冷却是在印藏碰撞影响下,临沧岩基卷入逆冲推覆运动而遭遇抬升、剥蚀的结果;晚期冷却则是上新世以来,特别是3Ma以来岩基经受整体的强烈抬升、剥蚀的结果,该期构造抬升量约为672～1263 m;裂变径迹资料还揭示印藏碰撞先影响南部岩体,随后才波及到岩基中北段.     

Fission track ages of Hymalayan muscovites (Kathmandu Valley,Nepal)

Summary Himalayan muscovites from pegmatites of Kathmandu Valley, Nepal yield an age of 2–23 m. y. by fission track (f.t.) method. The uranium concentration is estimated to be 10^–10 atom/atom.     

基于磷灰石裂变径迹约束的北黄海盆地热演化研究

热演化历史的研究对于盆地分析和油气勘探具有重要意义.北黄海盆地是中国近海海域油气勘探程度较低的盆地之一,迄今未见专门的热演化研究报道.笔者利用北黄海盆地中生代砂岩的磷灰石裂变径迹分析结果,结合地质条件约束,模拟获得了中生代以来盆地的热演化史.结果表明,北黄海盆地经历了两次增温和两次冷却的热演化过程,并在100—80 Ma时盆地的热历史出现明显变化,表明在晚白垩世北黄海盆地发生过一次较大的构造-热事件.磷灰石裂变径迹分析所表明的北黄海盆地的热历史与盆地原型演化阶段相对应,而这种热历史和盆地的演化过程与区域构造背景相关.磷灰石裂变径迹所揭示的热演化史对于深化认识北黄海盆地的地质演化过程和油气勘探潜力具有重要意义.     

Fission track ages of mica belts and some other precambrian muscovites of India

Summary The ages of forty six muscovite samples obtained from mines in the three main mica belts of India, viz. Bihar, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh, and areas around Delhi have been measured using improved fission track dating technique. The effect of geological annealing in the samples has been assessed and suitable correction applied to the ages, wherever required; also, uranium concentration has been measured in tight cleavages so as to avoid errors due to epigenetically introduced uranium.The ages agree with the main orogenic-metamorphic cycles in the respective regions and also the ages of pegmatites measured by other radiometric methods. The ages of the three belts have been measured as follows: Bihar mica belt, 700–1100 m.y.; Rajasthan mica belt and Delhi samples 700–1050 m.y.; Andhra Pradesh (Nellore) mica belt, 470–650 m.y. Occurrence of metamorphic event 600 m.y. in Rajasthan is supported by the age of one of the samples.     

Fission track ages on apatite of Bergell rocks from Central Alps and Bergell boulders in Oligocene sediments

Previous radiometric dating studies indicated that the Bergell region, in contrast to other regions of the Central Alps, experienced an early, rapid uplift, but with decreasing rate. Furthermore, there is also a geological record of the early uplift history of the Bergell granite by the existence of boulders which were derived from this granite and which occur in the Late Oligocene sediments of the Po plain.In this work the uplift history of the Bergell is studied in more detail by fission track dating of additional apatites from the Bergell region. Secondly, by determining apatite fission track ages the granitic boulders of the Po plain can be re-assigned to their original vertical position within the Bergell intrusive before erosion removed them in Late Oligocene time. A rather conservative estimate replaces them 6 km above the present morphology of the Bergell massif. Thus, the thickness of the Bergell granite must have been at least 8 km.Generally, fission track studies on boulders may become an important tool to study the vertical extent of mountain chains during the geological past.     

铁轨干扰浚县地震台地电阻率观测的有限元分析

2016年5月浚县地震台地电阻率EW向测值出现明显变化,为正确评价该变化,依据浚县地震台地质资料、岩层电性资料和EW向电测深曲线,将该台地下介质电性分布简化为二维电性结构,建立三维有限元模型。通过数值模拟,计算测区内地表铁轨干扰对地电阻率观测的影响形态和幅度。结果表明,由数值模拟所得干扰幅度、形态与实际测值的异常变化较吻合,因此从数值分析的角度确定了铁轨对浚县地震台地电阻率观测的干扰。