40Ar/39Ar laser probe evidence concerning the age and associated hazards of the Lake Nyos Maar,Cameroon

The waters of Lake Nyos are impounded by a fragile natural dam composed of pyroclastic rocks ejected during the formation of the lake crater (maar). Lateral erosion of this dam has reduced its width from over 500 m to only 45 m. Published whole-rock K-Ar ages of about 100 ka on juvenile basalt from the dam suggests that erosion has been slow and that the dam poses no imminent threat. New apparent ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages of 1.4 to 232 Ma on xenocrystic K-feldspar contained in the basalt show that the xenocrysts, whose source is the 528-Ma crystalline basement, are carriers of inherited radiogenic ⁴⁰Ar and would cause the whole-rock K-Ar ages to be too old. The best estimate for the age of the maar is provided by a ¹⁴C age of 400 ± 100 yr BP on charcoal from the base of the dam. This young age indicates that the dam is eroding at a relatively rapid rate; its failure, perhaps within a few decades, would result in a major flood and imperil thousands of people living downstream in Cameroon and eastern Nigeria.     

The problem of inherited Ar* in dating impact glass by the Ar/Ar method: Evidence from the Tswaing impact crater (South Africa)

The Tswaing meteorite impact crater is a 1.13 km diameter structure located in the 2.05 Ga Nebo granite of the Bushveld Complex. The impact age had previously been determined by fission track dating to 220 ± 104 ka. ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar step-heating and total fusion experiments performed on single- and multi-grain impact glass aliquots gave apparent ages ranging from 1.0 ± 0.3 Ma to 204 ± 6 Ma. These “ages” indicate that the radiogenic Ar derived from the target rocks has not been completely degassed as a result of the impact process, despite fusion of the target material. Results of step-heating experiments imply that the trapped within the glass is located in two distinct reservoirs thought to be the glass matrix and fluid/vapor inclusions (or un-melted residual clasts). Calculations assuming an age of 0.2 ± 0.1 Ma for Tswaing (fission track data) reveal that the amount of inherited ⁴⁰Ar*() relative to the pre-impact concentration varies from 0.015% to 4.15%. The spread defined by likely reflects the various quench rates experienced by the glass, most certainly due to the pre-impact position of the sample relative to the center of the crater. We compare the influence of on the apparent ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age determination of five impact structures. Our calculations show that the main characteristic controlling the age offset (for a given proportion of ) is the age difference between the impact and the target rocks (i.e., the ⁴⁰Ar* concentration in the target rock). The buffer effect for a given crater structure can be predicted knowing the age of the basement and having a rough estimation of the age of the crater structure itself. The occurrence of is likely influenced by (1) the degree of polymerization (i.e., silicate structure complexity) of the target rock and presumably related to the diffusivity of Ar in the melt and glass, (2) the Ar partial pressure at the grain boundary, (3) the quantity of energy involved in the impact, and (4) the porosity of the target rocks. For glass that inevitably suffers inherited and/or excess ⁴⁰Ar*, the use of the inverse isochron technique can be appropriate but should be applied with careful statistical treatment.     

Uniform Permian 40Ar/39Ar detrital mica ages in the eastern Qaidam Basin (NW China): where is the source?

New single‐grain ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar detrital white‐mica ages from the Lulehe section at the eastern Qaidam Basin yield uniform Permian ages between 250 ± 3 and 279 ± 3 Ma throughout the whole Cenozoic sequence. This is inconsistent with the present hinterland, which is composed of early Palaeozoic metamorphic units with subordinate early Palaeozoic and few Permian granites. The new data indicate that Permian tectonic units are likely more widespread at the north‐eastern margin of the Tibetan plateau as known at present, particularly within the Qilian Mountains. The preferred explanation is that the Qaidam block represents a rigid indenter, which indented during late Tertiary times into early Palaeozoic orogenic units. This is consistent with recent findings of a NW‐trending sinistral Permian ductile shear zone and a dextral, NW‐trending Tertiary fault system close to the north‐eastern margin of the Qaidam Basin.     

吉林延边地区浅成热液金(铜)矿床的~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar激光探针测年与成矿时代讨论

延边地区是中国东北部陆缘浅成热液金铜矿床发育的地区之一,广泛发育着浅成热液金矿床、中温热液金(铜)矿床和中深成中高温热液富金铜矿床(类斑岩型);富金铜矿床的成矿时代发生在105～102 Ma,为了进一步确定浅成热液金矿床与中深成中高温热液富金铜矿床的成矿动力学背景,采用流体包裹体的~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar激光探针定年法,对该区典型浅成热液金矿床进行了精细的年代学测定,获得刺猬沟金矿床、五星山金矿床和杜荒岭金矿床的脉石矿物石英流体包裹体的~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar等时线年龄分别为(141±7)Ma、(123±7)Ma和(107±6)Ma,其中刺猬沟金矿床((141±7)Ma)和五星山金矿床((123±7)Ma)的脉石矿物石英流体包裹体含有过剩放射性成因~(40)Ar,而杜荒岭金矿床((107±6)Ma)的脉石矿物石英流体包裹体几乎不含或含极少量过剩放射性成因~(40)Ar。结合最新获得的相关地质体的精细年代学成果,认定该区浅成热液金矿床成矿作用均发生在早白垩世晚期,或发生在早白垩世晚期火山喷发、浅成岩浆就位之后,其形成环境与富金铜矿床一致,为古太平洋板块向亚洲大陆正北向俯冲转入Izanagi-Farallon板块西向俯冲的构造转换期。     

New 40Ar/39Ar age of granitic rocks and related gold mineralization at the Kirovskoye deposit (southeastern margin of the North Asian craton)

The Kirovskoye gold deposit located in the southern part of the Selenga-Stanovoi superterrane at the southeastern margin of the Siberian craton is one of the largest ore deposits in the eastern regions of the Russian Far East. ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar geochronological studies revealed that the age of the quartz-diorite-porphyrite and granodiorite-porphyry dikes is 128?126 Ma. This estimate agrees with the previous U-Pb age of 125 ± 2 Ma for the Dzhalinda granodiorites. The age of hydrothermal ore-forming processes was estimated at ～121?120 Ma. These results allow us to infer that a relationship between Kirovskoye gold mineralization was formed as a result of postmagmatic hydrothermal activity, which accompanied the emplacement of the Dzhalinda intrusion and coeval dikes.     

A new magnetostratigraphic framework for the Lower Miocene (Burdigalian/Ottnangian, Karpatian) in the North Alpine Foreland Basin

Oligocene–Miocene chronostratigraphic correlations within the Paratethys domain are still highly controversial. This study focuses on the late Early Miocene of the Swiss and S-German Molasse Basin (Late Burdigalian, Ottnangian–Karpatian). Previous studies have published different chronologies for this time interval that is represented by the biostratigraphically well constrained Upper Marine Molasse (OMM, lower and middle Ottnangian), Upper Brackish Molasse (OBM, Grimmelfingen and Kirchberg Formations, middle and upper Ottnangian to lower Karpatian, MN 4a–MN 4b) and Upper Freshwater Molasse (OSM, Karpatian–Badenian, MN 5). Here, we suggest a new chronostratigraphic framework, based on integrated magneto-litho-biostratigraphic studies on four sections and three boreholes. Our data indicate that the OBM comprises chrons 5D.1r and 5Dn (Grimmelfingen Fm), chron 5Cr (lower Kirchberg Fm) and the oldest part of chron 5Cn.3n (upper Kirchberg Fm). The OSM begins during chron 5Cn.3n, continues through 5Cn, and includes a long reversed segment that can be correlated to chron 5Br. The OMM-OSM transition was completed at 16.0 Ma in the Swiss Molasse Basin, while the OBM-OSM changeover ended at 16.6 Ma in the S-German Molasse Basin. As the lower Kirchberg Fm represents a facies of the Ottnangian, our data suggest that the Ottnangian–Karpatian boundary in the Molasse Basin is approximately at 16.8 Ma, close to the 5Cr–5Cn.3n magnetic reversal, and thus 0.4 Myr younger than the inferred age of 17.2 Ma used in recent Paratethys time scales. Notably, this would not be problematic for the Paratethys stratigraphy, because chron 5Cr is mainly represented by a sedimentation gap in the Central Paratethys. We also realise, however, that additional data is still required to definitely solve the age debate concerning this intriguing time interval in the North Alpine Foreland Basin. We dedicate this work to our dear friend and colleague Jean-Pierre Berger (8 July 1956–18 January 2012).     

The Time of Rock Formation in the Talakhtakh Diatreme (Arctic Siberia) according to Laser 40Ar/39Ar Dates

Doklady Earth Sciences - As a result of comprehensive study and laser 40Ar/39Ar dating of sanidines from the rocks of the Talakhtakh diatreme (TD) (Arctic Siberia), it has been found that the...     

Paleogeographic evolution of the Southern Pannonian Basin: 40Ar/39Ar age constraints on the Miocene continental series of Northern Croatia

The Pannonian Basin, originating during the Early Miocene, is a large extensional basin incorporated between Alpine, Carpathian and Dinaride fold-thrust belts. Back-arc extensional tectonics triggered deposition of up to 500-m-thick continental fluvio-lacustrine deposits distributed in numerous sub-basins of the Southern Pannonian Basin. Extensive andesitic and dacitic volcanism accompanied the syn-rift deposition and caused a number of pyroclastic intercalations. Here, we analyze two volcanic ash layers located at the base and top of the continental series. The lowermost ash from Mt. Kalnik yielded an ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age of 18.07?±?0.07?Ma. This indicates that the marine-continental transition in the Slovenia-Zagorje Basin, coinciding with the onset of rifting tectonics in the Southern Pannonian Basin, occurs roughly at the Eggenburgian/Ottnangian boundary of the regional Paratethys time scale. This age proves the synchronicity of initial rifting in the Southern Pannonian Basin with the beginning of sedimentation in the Dinaride Lake System. Beside geodynamic evolution, the two regions also share a biotic evolutionary history: both belong to the same ecoregion, which we designate here as the Illyrian Bioprovince. The youngest volcanic ash level is sampled at the Glina and Karlovac sub-depressions, and both sites yield the same ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age of 15.91?±?0.06 and 16.03?±?0.06?Ma, respectively. This indicates that lacustrine sedimentation in the Southern Pannonian Basin continued at least until the earliest Badenian. The present results provide not only important bench marks on duration of initial synrift in the Pannonian Basin System, but also deliver substantial backbone data for paleogeographic reconstructions in Central and Southeastern Europe around the Early–Middle Miocene transition.     

First record of Karydomys (Rodentia, Mammalia) from the German part of the North Alpine Foreland Basin

Karydomys, a rare genus of cricetid rodents from the Middle Miocene of central Europe, had previously been reported only from the Swiss part of the North Alpine Foreland basin; documented evidence from the German part was lacking. This paper describes several new specimens of Karydomys from the German localities Höll and Laimering 3. A correlation of both localities to the Bavarian local biostratigraphic scale OSM F is proposed. Taxonomically, the fossils are most probably linked to K. wigharti from Hambach 6C (north-west Germany), and thus assigned to K. cf. wigharti. In spite of the scarcity of Karydomys fossils in the Upper Freshwatermolasse, the taxon is an important biostratigraphical marker because of its short stratigraphical range.     

豫西小秦岭金矿区的一组^40Ar／^39Ar定年数据

本文提供了一组小秦岭金矿区的＾４０Ａｒ／＾３９Ａｒ定年数据。根据地质体的形成温度和被测定矿物封闭温度之间的关系,讨论了各个年龄的地质含义。认为东闯钾长花岗岩墙和文峪二长花岗岩体分别形成于印支期和燕山早期,主要金矿化发生在文峪二长花岗岩体已固结之后（１３２Ｍａ）,自１．３Ｇａ以来,本区遭受过的区域性热事件温度不会超过３５０℃。     

南天山南缘晚泥盆世构造事件的^40Ar／^39Ar定年证据及其意义

南天山南缘前陆褶皱冲断带在独库公路范围内出露于铁力买提达坂一带,其构造岩片主体向南逆掩于塔里木盆地之上,构造样式以双向逆冲为特征。相关韧性剪切带中白云母矿物~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar同位素测年获坪年龄368±1Ma和等时线年龄368±6Ma。结合区域构造分析,这条作为南天山中央地块南部构造边界的大型复合式构造带,主要形成发育时限为晚泥盆世-早石炭世,并在二叠纪重新活动。前者可能是是南天山洋盆向北俯冲于伊犁地块之下的构造变形过程的痕迹,后者则可能是由伊犁-塔里木复合地体与北天山地块在晚石炭世-早二叠世发生碰撞而导致的构造变形。     

40Ar/39Ar dating of white micas from an Alpine high-pressure metamorphic belt on Naxos (Greece): the resetting of the argon isotopic system

Overprinting of white micas from high pressure, low to medium temperature (M ₁) metamorphic assemblages in pelitic schists on Naxos during subsequent thermal dome (M ₂) metamorphism ranges from minor in the southeast of the island to complete recrystallization in the amphibolite facies rocks near the migmatites in the centre of the dome. The original (M ₁) minerals are phengites (Si⁴⁺=6.7–7.0) and the overprinting minerals are muscovites (Si⁴⁺=6.0–6.45). ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar step heating analyses of white mica separates from rocks in the area where phengite and muscovite occur together yield complex age spectra, characterized by low apparent ages in the first and the last stages of gas release and high apparent ages in between. These upward-convex age spectra are shown to be caused by mixing of two generations of micas, each of which has a different age spectrum and argon release pattern. Seemingly good plateaus in some age spectra from white micas of the area must be interpreted as providing meaningless intermediate ages. Further, the upward-convex age spectra have been used to trace the isotopic signature of phengites toward increasing M ₂ metamorphic grade, and suggest that as long as phengites can be observed in the rocks upward-convex age spectra occur. On Naxos, crystallization of muscovite at the expense of phengite appears to be the main mechanism of resetting argon isotopic ages in white micas. However, there is also good evidence for argon loss by volume diffusion from phengites. Simple diffusion calculations suggest that the M ₂ metamorphism was caused by a shortlived heat source.Now at Department of Geology, University of Alberta, Edmonton T6G 2E3, Canada     

松辽盆地青山口组橄榄粗安岩:40Ar/39Ar年龄、地球化学及其成盆、成烃和成藏意义

在松辽盆地上白垩统青山口组二段湖相泥岩中识别出橄榄粗安岩夹层,高精度40Ar/39Ar坪年龄tp=88.0±0.3Ma,属晚白垩世Coniacian阶.岩石具玻基少斑斑状结构,斑晶为橄榄石、辉石和斜长石.岩石富钠、富铝、富轻稀土(∑LREE/∑HREE=8.0～9.7)和U、Th、Pb、Rb、Sr、Ba等不相容的大离子亲石元素,Rb/Sr比高、Sm/Nd比低,δEu=0.95～1.36,高镁(Mg#=0.61～0.64),高氧化度(Oxo=0.62～0.68),低分异指数(MDI=3.4～5.3).MgO/Al2O3和标准矿物压力计算得到岩浆源区深度大于60km.岩浆源于富集型地幔,属板内火山岩,是成盆过程中裂谷作用发育到最大深切割期的产物.火山活动热效应及其高区域地温场有利于成烃,造成局部类礁相环境形成的大量生物灰岩沉积是重要烃源岩,火山岩之下的牵引构造、之上的差异压实局部高部位以及其周围的浊积体是成藏有利部位.     

Precise 40Ar/39Ar ages from the metamorphic sole of the Mersin ophiolite (southern Turkey)

The Mersin ophiolite is located on the southern flank of the E–W-trending central Tauride belt in Turkey. It is one of the Late Cretaceous Neotethyan oceanic lithospheric remnants. The Mersin ophiolite formed in a suprasubduction zone tectonic setting in southern Turkey at the beginning of the Late Cretaceous. The Mersin ophiolite is one of the best examples in Turkey in order to study reconstruction of ophiolite emplacement along the Alpine–Himalayan orogenic belt. ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar incremental-heating measurements were performed on seven obduction-related subophiolitic metamorphic rocks. Hornblende separates yielded isochron ages ranging from 96.0±0.7 Ma to 91.6±0.3 Ma (all errors ±1σ). Five of the seven hornblende age determinations are indistinguishable at the 95% confidence level and have a weighted mean age of 92.6±0.2 (2σ) Ma. We interpret these ages as the date of cooling below 500°C. Intraoceanic thrusting occurred (∼4 Ma) soon after formation of oceanic crust. The sole was crosscut by microgabbro–diabase dikes less than 3 m.y. later. The final obduction onto the Tauride platform occurred during the Late Cretaceous–Early Paleocene. Our new high-precision ages constrain intraoceanic thrusting for a single ophiolite (Mersin) in the Tauride belt.     

Carboniferous 40Ar/39Ar Age of Rare-Metal Enriched Rhyolites and Ignimbrites in the Sakmara Allochthon (Southern Urals)

Doklady Earth Sciences - The Sakmara Allochthon (Southern Urals) comprises a widely distributed folded stratum of rhyolites and ignimbrites, which are characterized by Nb–Zr–REE...     

Cretaceous evolution of a metamorphic core complex,the Veporic unit,Western Carpathians (Slovakia): P–T conditions and in situ40Ar/39Ar UV laser probe dating of metapelites

Alpine metamorphism, related to the development of a metamorphic core complex during Cretaceous orogenic events, has been recognized in the Veporic unit, Western Carpathians (Slovakia). Three metamorphic zones have been distinguished in the metapelites: 1, chloritoid + chlorite + garnet; 2, garnet + staurolite + chlorite; 3, staurolite + biotite + kyanite. The isograds separating the metamorphic zones have been modelled by discontinuous reactions in the system K₂O–FeO–MgO–Al₂O₃–SiO₂–H₂O (KFMASH). The isograds are roughly parallel to the north‐east‐dipping foliation related to extensional updoming along low‐angle normal faults. Thermobarometric data document increasing P–T conditions from c. 500 °C and 7–8 kbar to c. 620 °C and 9–10 kbar, reflecting a coherent metamorphic field gradient from greenschist to middle amphibolite facies. ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar data obtained by high spatial resolution in situ ultraviolet (UV) laser ablation of white micas from the rock slabs constrain the timing of cooling and exhumation in the Late Cretaceous. Mean dates are between 77 and 72 Ma; however, individual white mica grains record a range of apparent ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages indicating that cooling below the blocking temperature for argon diffusion was not instantaneous. The reconstructed metamorphic P–T–t path is ‘clockwise’, reflecting post‐burial decompression and cooling during a single Alpine orogenic cycle. The presented data suggest that the Veporic unit evolved as a metamorphic core complex during the Cretaceous growth of the Western Carpathian orogenic wedge. Metamorphism was related to collisional crustal shortening and stacking, following closure of the Meliata Ocean. Exhumation was accomplished by synorogenic (orogen‐parallel) extension and unroofing in an overall compressive regime.     

华北东部早白垩世花岗岩侵位的伸展地球动力学背景:激光40 Ar/39 Ar年代学证据

早白垩世古道岭岩体位于华北克拉通东部的辽东半岛,主要由三种岩石组成,分别为庙岭变形闪长岩、万家岭片麻状花岗闪长岩和古道岭中粒二长花岗岩及其所含的细粒镁铁质包体.其中闪长岩和花岗闪长岩具有明显的变形组构,其片麻理方向与围岩万福糜棱岩相同,表明该岩体为同构造岩体.利用单颗粒激光40Ar/39Ar年代分析方法测定的岩体不同岩相和糜棱岩中单矿物(角闪石、黑云母、钾长石)的40Ar/39Ar年龄表明,古道岭岩体边缘相和围岩糜棱岩在早白垩世(120～113Ma)共同经历了变形、变质作用,揭示了在早白垩世时期该区的快速冷却(抬升)历史.这一地质事件遍布辽东半岛,乃至华北克拉通东部,并与华北克拉通东部大面积拉伸盆地的形成、大规模金成矿作用、A型花岗岩的就位和变质核杂岩的形成同期,是华北东部早白垩世克拉通破坏和岩石圈强烈减薄作用的浅部地壳响应.