The performance of the Noblesse multi-collector noble gas mass spectrometer for <Superscript>40</Superscript>Ar/<Superscript>39</Superscript>Ar geochronology

Noblesse multi-collector noble gas mass spectrometer is specially designed for multi-collection of Ar isotopes with different beam sizes, especially for small ion beams, precisely, and hence is perfectly suitable for ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar geochronology. We have analyzed widely used sanidine, muscovite, and biotite standards with recommended ages of ~ 1.2–133 Ma, with the aim to assess the reliability of Noblesse for ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating. An ESI MIR10 30W CO₂ laser was used for total fusion or incremental heating samples. Extracted gases were routinely purified by four SAES NP10 getters (one at ~ 400 °C and others at room temperature). A GP50 getter and a metal cold finger cooled by liquid N (? 196 °C) were also attached for additional purification if necessary. The Ar isotopes were then measured by Noblesse using Faraday or multiplier according to the signal intensities. Over a period of 1.5 months 337 air calibrations produced a weighted mean ⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar of 296.50 ± 0.08 (2σ, MSWD = 4.77). Fish Canyon sanidine is used to calculate J-values, which show good linear relationship with position in irradiation. The age of four mineral standards (Alder Creek sanidine, Brione muscovite, Yabachi sanidine, and Fangshan biotite) are within error of the accepted ages. Five Alder Creek sanidine aliquots yielded an age range of 1.174–1.181 ± 0.013 Ma (2σ) which broadly overlaps the established age of the standard and the uncertainty approaches those of the foremost Ar/Ar laboratories in the world. The weighted mean ages of four Brione muscovite aliquots (18.75 ± 0.16 Ma, 2σ), five Yabachi sanidine aliquots (29.50 ± 0.19 Ma, 2σ), and three Fangshan biotite aliquots (133.0 ± 0.76 Ma, 2σ) are consistent with the recommended values of these standards, and the uncertainties are typical of modern Ar/Ar laboratories world-wide.     

黑龙江宁安英城子热液金矿床流体包裹体的氩同位素激光探针定年与成矿时代讨论

英城子金矿床产于张广才岭岩浆构造带内早古生代花岗岩岩体内部的韧脆性剪切带中,矿体由花岗质糜棱片岩、含硫化物石英脉和纯硫化物脉组成,赋矿围岩为晚奥陶世黑云母二长花岗岩。对含金石英脉中石英流体包裹体进行的40Ar/39Ar激光探针定年结果表明:实验室给定的等时线年龄为207±5.5Ma(40Ar/36Ar Int.=410±11,MSWD=44,n=31),剔除相对误差较大的数据点,运用Isoplot程序拟合的等时线年龄为248±39Ma(40Ar/36Ar Int.=344±54,MSWD=0.37,Probability=0.99)。结合区域构造热事件的发育状况,初步确定该矿床的成矿作用发生在晚二叠世末向早三叠世转化阶段或东段的兴蒙造山运动过程。     

High-Precision Trace Element Data for the USGS Reference Materials BCR-1, BCR-2, BHVO-1, BHVO-2, AGV-1, AGV-2, DTS-1, DTS-2, GSP-1 and GSP-2 by ID-TIMS and MIC-SSMS

Different batches of the new US Geological Survey (USGS) reference materials (RMs) BCR-2, BHVO-2, AGV-2, DTS-2 and GSP-2 and the original USGS RMs BCR-1, BHVO-1, AGV-1, DTS-1 and GSP-1 have been analysed by isotope dilution using thermal ionisation mass spectrometry (ID-TIMS) and by multi-ion counting spark source mass spectrometry (MIC-SSMS). The concentrations of K, Rb, Sr, Ba and the rare earth elements were determined with overall analytical uncertainties of better than 1% (ID-TIMS) and 3% (MIC-SSMS). The analyses of different aliquots and batches of BCR-2, BHVO-2, AGV-2 and GSP-2, respectively, agree within 1%, i.e. approximately the analytical uncertainties of the data. This indicates an homogeneous distribution of the trace elements in these RMs. Differences in element concentrations of up to 17% in different aliquots of the depleted RM DTS-2 are outside the analytical uncertainty of our data. They may be attributed to a slightly heterogeneous distribution of trace elements in this dunite sample. Our trace element data for BCR-2, BHVO-2, AGV-2 and GSP-2 agree within about 3% with preliminary reference values published by the USGS. They also agree within 1-6% with those of the original RMs BCR-1, BHVO-1, AGV-1 and GSP-1. Large compositional differences are found between DTS-2 and DTS-1, where the concentrations of K, Rb, Sr and the light REE differ by factors of 2 to 24.     

Age calibration of the Fish Canyon sanidine Ar/Ar dating standard using primary K-Ar standards

The ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating technique requires the use of neutron fluence monitors (standards). Precise calibrations of these standards are crucial to decrease the uncertainties associated with ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dates. Optimal calibration of ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar standards should be based on K/Ar standards having independent isotope dilution measurements of ⁴⁰K and ⁴⁰Ar*, based on independent isotope tracers (spikes) because this offers the possibility to eliminate random interlaboratory errors. In this study, we calibrate the widely used Fish Canyon sanidine (FCs) standard based on four primary K/Ar standards (GA-1550, Hb3gr, NL-25, and GHC-305) on which K and Ar* concentrations have been determined in different labs with independently calibrated tracers. We obtained a mean age of 28.03 ± 0.08 Ma (1σ; neglecting uncertainties of the ⁴⁰K decay constants) for FCs, based on the decay constant recommended by Steiger and Jäger [Steiger R.H., Jäger. E. 1977. Subcommission on geochronology: convention of the use of decay constants in geo- and cosmochronology. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett.36, 359-362.]. This age corresponds to a mean ⁴⁰Ar*/⁴⁰K value of (1.6407 ± 0.0047) × 10⁻³. We also discuss several criteria that prevent the use of previous calibrations of FCs based on other primary standards (LP-6, SB-3 and MMhb-1). The age of FCs obtained in this study is based on the ⁴⁰K decay constants of Steiger and Jäger (1977) but we anticipate the imminent need for revision of the value and precision of the ⁴⁰K decay constants (representing the main source of uncertainties in ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating). The ⁴⁰Ar*/⁴⁰K result of FCs obtained in this study allows therefore a rapid calibration of the age of FCs with uncertainties at the 0.29% level but perhaps more importantly this value is independent of any particular value of the ⁴⁰K decay constants and may be used in the future in conjunction with revised decay constants.     

Development of high precision Rb-Sr phlogopite and biotite geochronology; an alternative to Ar/Ar tri-octahedral mica dating

Potassium-Ar and Rb-Sr dating of minerals was fundamental in early efforts to date magmatic and metamorphic processes and paved the way for geochronology to become an important discipline within the earth sciences. Although K-Ar and, in particular, ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating of micas is still widely applied, Rb-Sr dating of micas has declined in use, even though numerous studies demonstrated that tri-octahedral mica yields geologically realistic, and more reliable and reproducible Rb-Sr ages than the K-Ar or ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar system. Moreover, a reduction of uncertainties typically reported for Rb-Sr ages (ca. 1%) can now be achieved by application of multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICPMS) rubidium isotope dilution measurements (<0.3%). Replicate Rb-Sr biotite ages from the Oslo rift, Norway, yield an external reproducibility of ±0.3% (n=4) and an analytical error of ±0.8 Ma for individual ages that vary between 276.9 and 275.5 Ma. Conventional thermal ionisation mass spectrometry (TIMS) Rb analysis on the same mineral separates yields ages between 276.1 and 271.7 Ma, three times the spread compared to Rb MC-ICPMS data. Biotite and phlogopite from the central Nagssugtoqidian orogen, West Greenland, yield ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar plateau ages (ca. 1700 Ma) with a spread of ±150 Ma, while Rb-Sr ages on either biotite or phlogopite separates have a much narrower range of ±10 Ma. This comparison of Rb-Sr and ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages demonstrates the robustness of the Rb-Sr system in tri-octahedral micas and cautions against the sole use of ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar tri-octahedral mica ages to date geological events. Analytical errors of 16 Ma for these Rb-Sr mica ages determined by TIMS are reduced to <±5 Ma when the Rb concentration is determined by MC-ICPMS. All the TIMS and MC-ICPMS data from the Nagssugtoqidian orogen agree within assigned analytical uncertainties. However, high precision Rb-Sr dating by MC-ICPMS can resolve geological information obscured by TIMS age determinations. TIMS data for seven phlogopite samples form an isochron age of 1645±6 Ma, and thus, no differentiation in age between the different samples can be made. In contrast, MC-ICPMS Rb measurements on the same samples reveal two distinct populations with ages of 1633±3 or 1652±5 Ma.Combining the mica Rb-Sr geochronological data with the well-constrained thermal history of this ancient orogen, we estimate the closure temperature of the Rb-Sr system in 1-2 mm slowly cooled phlogopite crystals, occurring in a matrix of calcite and plagioclase to be ∼435 °C, and at least 50 °C above that of biotite.     

40Ar/39Ar,pressure, temperature and fission track constraints on the age and nature of metamorphism around the main central thrust in the eastern Bhutan Himalaya

⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar data from a profile across the Main Central Thrust in the eastern Bhutan Himalaya indicate muscovite cooling ages of 14.1±0.2 Ma from a sample in the immediate hanging wall of the thrust and 11.2 Ma from about 400 m structurally higher in the hanging wall. These two ages are repeated by two samples from 2.1 and 4.7 km vertical distance from the thrust within the hanging wall, respectively. A single apatite fission track age from the immediate hanging wall of the thrust gives an age of 3.1±0.6 Ma. Pressure–temperature estimates give temperatures around 650°C and 6.5 kbar for the highest sample collected. Samples closer to the Main Central Thrust give also temperatures between 600 and 650°C at the same pressure, indicating possibly a slight temperature decrease with proximity to the thrust. However, uncertainties are large and the parageneses are thermodynamically too highly variant to place much significance on their interpretation.The ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar cooling age data are consistent with a repetition of the sequence in the hanging wall of the thrust. They confirm the data of Davidson et al. (1997; Metamorphic reactions related to decompression and synkinematic intrusion of leucogranite, High Himalayan Crystallines, Bhutan. Journal of Metamorphic Geology 15, 593–612) and are consistent with a more rapid exhumation of deeper levels towards the centre of the High Himalayan Crystalline Complex. Despite the large uncertainties, the PT data shown here are also consistent with this interpretation. The apatite fission track results reveal low-temperature cooling and final exhumation of the Main Central Thrust at the same time as in Nepal.     

独居石电子探针定年及其在新疆东天山变质作用研究中的应用

以化学法独居石电子探针定年的原理以及前人改良过的年龄计算公式为基础,利用全微分和最大误差原理,确定了年龄误差计算新方法。并用Visual C语言在Windows平台下编制出了计算年龄和年龄误差的计算机程序。运用此程序对前人公开发表的分析资料和计算的年龄以及年龄误差数据进行了重新计算,验证了给出的误差公式的可靠性。同时,利用JXA—8100电子探针仪对新疆东天山变质沉积岩的两个样品(KM2127—5,DK2107—2)中的独居石进行了电子探针微区U—Th—Pb成分分析。结果表明,样品DK2107—2记录了两期变质作用,峰期年龄分别是341．0±3．9Ma和255．2±3．3Ma,其中最主要的变质峰期年龄为341．0±3．9Ma,该期的矿物组合为Ky+St+Bt+Pl+Q+／-Or;而255．2±3．3Ma和样品KM2127-5记录的变质峰期年龄262．3±4．4Ma为次要变质峰期年龄,该期矿物组合是Cord+Bt+Pl+Or+Q。分析结果与前人用^40Ar—^39Ar法得到的结果相吻合,表明独居石电子探针定年技术是一种可靠有效的测年方法。     

胶东地区金矿床流体包裹体的He、Ar同位素组成及成矿流体来源示踪

关于胶东地区金矿床成因，多年来一直存在较大的争议。代表性金矿床中黄铁矿流体包裹体的He-Ar组成表明，胶东金床黄铁矿流体包裹体的^3He/^4He比值为0．43－2．36R／Ra。该值可分为两组：一组如蓬家夼金矿和发云夼金矿^3He/^4He比值＜1．0R／Ra；另一组如邓格庄和焦家金矿^3He/^4He比值＞1．0R／Ra。蓬家夼－发云夼金矿成矿流体的^40Ar/^36Ar比值为393－310，比较接近于大气氩的同位素组成（^40Ar/^36Ar=295.5），而焦家金矿成矿流体的^40Ar/^36Ar比值为500－1148。He-Ar同位素系统显示了蓬家夼－发云夼金矿成矿流体来源以大气降水为主，邓格庄、焦家金矿成矿流体来源以地幔流体为主。进一步研究表明，胶东金矿成矿流体H－O和He-Ar同位素系统对流体来源的示踪具有一致性。     

Errors of isotope ratios acquired by double interpolation

Measurement of isotope ratios via double interpolation of cyclic peak jumping produces error correlations between time-adjacent ratios which, if ignored, result in underestimated errors of their means. Equations that incorporate the error correlations are derived, and an example given for a typical U–Pb/zircon analysis via ion microprobe showing that isotope-ratio uncertainties for a single spot are usually underestimated by factors of 1.2–1.3.     

Automated Extraction of a Five‐Year LA‐ICP‐MS Trace Element Data Set of Ten Common Glass and Carbonate Reference Materials: Long‐Term Data Quality,Optimisation and Laser Cell Homogeneity

LA‐ICP‐MS is increasingly applied to obtain quantitative multi‐element data with minimal sample preparation, usually achieved by calibration using reference materials (RMs). However, some ubiquitous RMs, for example the NIST SRM 61× series glasses, suffer from reported value uncertainties for certain elements. Moreover, no long‐term data set of analyses conducted over a range of ablation and tuning conditions exists. Thus, there has been little rigorous examination of the extent to which offsets between measured and reported values are the result of error in these values rather than analytically induced fractionation. We present new software (‘LA‐MINE’), capable of extracting LA‐ICP‐MS data with no user input, and apply this to our system, yielding over 5 years of data (~ 5700 analyses of ten glass and carbonate RMs). We examine the relative importance of systematic analytical bias and possible error in reported values through a mass‐specific breakdown of fourteen of the most commonly determined elements. Furthermore, these data, obtained under a wide range of different ablation conditions, enable specific recommendations of how data quality may be improved, for example the role of diatomic gas, the effect of differential inter‐glass fractionation factors and choice of transport tubing material. Finally, these data demonstrate that the two‐volume Laurin ablation cell is characterised by no discernible spatial heterogeneity in measured trace element ratios.     

K-Ar法年龄标准物质ZGC粗面岩K和~(40)Ar含量及年龄的定值结果

为了满足K-Ar和Ar-Ar法定年的需要,年代学工作者研制了一个用于中新生代定年的K-Ar法年龄标准物质——ZGC粗面岩。该粗面岩采自广东省南海市走马营第三纪火山岩。~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar定年结果表明,~(40)Ar~*在矿物晶格中保存均匀稳定,年龄谱平坦,~(39)Ar析出量高达97.9%。证明该粗面岩结晶以后未受过热扰动,完好地保持了~(40)K-~(40)Ar~*同位素计时的化学封闭体系。坪年龄为52.8±0.3 Ma,总气体年龄为52.9±0.8 Ma。~(36)Ar/~(40)Ar-~(39)Ar/~(40)Ar反等时线年龄为52.5±0.4 Ma,~(40)Ar/~(36)Ar初始值为296.6±4.2,此值与(~(40)Ar/~(36)Ar)。大气氩丰度比(295.5±0.5)一致,表明样品不含过剩氩。国内12个实验室参加了ZGC粗面岩K含量和~(40)Ar~*含量的定值分析。经统计学方法检验,结果显示全部定值数据服从正态分布并具等精度。当置信概率为0.95时,~(40)Ar~*和K含量的相对标准偏差都小于1%。~(40)Ar~*和K含量分析的认定值和不确定度分别为:~(40)Ar~*=4.199±0.022×10~(-10)mol/g,K=4.576±0.028%,由此计算得K-Ar年龄为52.2±0.5 Ma。根据国家一级标准物质技术规范的相关要求,经统计学方法检验在0.05显著性水平下,K和~(40)Ar~*的F分布小于F临界值,说明该标准物质是均匀的。t检验法表明,该标准物质具有良好的稳定性,~(40)Ar~*和K含量在有效期内不会发生显著性变化。ZGC粗面岩粒度为0.3～0.7mm,重量为850 g,缩分成最小样品单元100瓶,每瓶8.5 g。可供K-Ar和Ar-Ar法实验室使用43年。     

KArMars: A Breadboard Model for In Situ Absolute Geochronology Based on the K–Ar Method Using UV‐Laser‐Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy and Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry

We present a breadboard prototype to perform in situ dating applicable to planetary exploration. Based on the K–Ar dating method and using instruments inspired by flight‐proven analytical components, ‘KArMars’ ablated a geological sample under high vacuum with a quadrupled ultraviolet (UV at 266 nm) Nd:YAG laser. During ablation, the K content of the target material was given by laser‐induced breakdown spectroscopy and the released ⁴⁰Ar was measured with a quadrupole mass spectrometer. Because K was measured as a concentration and ⁴⁰Ar as a count of atoms, these values were converted using the ablated mass given by the product of the density and the ablated volume. The uncertainties of the age measurement were < 15%. The quality of the K–Ar measurements was enhanced by the advantages of UV laser ablation such as the minimisation of thermal effects on argon diffusion. This work demonstrates that a specialised instrument inspired by this set‐up could provide in situ absolute geochronology with sufficient precision for scientific investigations, particularly where the crater density counting provides higher uncertainties on Mars.     

滇西金满脉状铜矿床成矿年龄讨论

对滇西兰坪盆地内金满脉状铜矿床成矿主阶段的石英样品进行了40Ar 39Ar快中子活化测定,谱线特征为马鞍型,其坪年龄为(58 05±0 54)Ma,最小视年龄为(56 76±0 81)Ma,等时线年龄为(54 30±0 15)Ma,三者均十分接近,说明所测石英样品的年龄可靠。而石英的流体包裹体Rb Sr同位素分析数据因线性关系不太好,导致等时线年龄(68±76)Ma误差大,因而仅具参考意义。砂岩及矿化砂页岩中磷灰石的裂变径迹年龄为58 7～61 7Ma,反映了兰坪盆地内一期构造热演化事件的发生时间,其与40Ar 39Ar分析的年龄基本一致,说明金满脉状铜矿床的形成时代相当于喜马拉雅早期。结合滇西大区域内铜及其他矿种的成矿主要集中在喜马拉雅早期这一现象,认为滇西在此时期必定存在着诱发某种大规模成矿作用的关键因素,并在区域内统一制约着矿床的形成。     

Timing of the Yuchiling giant porphyry Mo system, and implications for ore genesis

The Yuchiling Mo deposit is a recently discovered giant porphyry system in the East Qinling Mo belt, China. Its apparent causative intrusion, i.e., the Yuchiling granite porphyry, is the youngest intrusion (phase 4) of the Heyu multiphase granite batholith, which was emplaced between 143 and 135 Ma. New robust constraints on the formation of the Yuchiling porphyry Mo system are provided by combined zircon U–Pb, biotite ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar, and molybdenite Re–Os dating. Zircon grains from the Mo-mineralized granite porphyry yield weighted ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U age of 134.0?±?1.4 Ma (n?=?19, 2σ error, MSWD?=?0.30). Magmatic biotite from the same sample yield a ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar plateau age of 135.1?±?1.4 Ma (2σ error), and an inverse isochron age of 135.6?±?2.0 Ma (n?=?7, 2σ error, MSWD?=?10.8), which are effectively coincident with the zircon U–Pb age within analytical error. Three pulses of mineralization can be deduced from the molybdenite Re–Os ages, namely: ～141, ～137, and ～134 Ma, which agree well with the zircon U–Pb ages of granitic phases 1, 2, and the Yuchiling porphyry (phase 4), respectively. These well-constrained temporal correlations indicate that Mo mineralization was caused by pulses of granitic magmatism, and that the ore-forming magmatic-hydrothermal activity responsible for the Yuchiling porphyry Mo system lasted about 8 Ma. The Yuchiling Mo deposit represents a unique style of porphyry Mo system formed in a post-collision setting, and associated with F-rich, high-K calc-alkaline intrusions, which differ from convergent margin-associated porphyry Mo deposits.     

40Ar/39Ar evidence for the timing of Paleoproterozoic gold mineralisation at the Sandpiper Deposit,Tanami region,northern Australia

At the Sandpiper gold deposit in the Tanami region of northern Australia sericite is intimately intergrown with arsenopyrite in gold-bearing quartz veins and breccias, suggesting sericite crystallisation synchronous with gold-bearing fluid flow. This ore-stage sericite yields a ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar plateau age of 1785 ± 32 Ma (2σ including both analytical and systematic uncertainties). Recalculation using revised and more precise values for the ⁴⁰K decay constants and the age of the Fish Canyon Sanidine standard shifts the age to 1794 ±12 Ma (2σ including all known uncertainties). Given the possibility of post-mineralisation isotopic resetting this age can be conservatively interpreted as a minimum constraint on the timing of gold deposition although, given local geological relationships and estimates for the argon retentivity of white mica, we consider complete isotopic resetting to be unlikely. The preferred interpretation is, therefore, that the sericite ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age indicates the timing of gold mineralisation. Thesericite age accords with a limited dataset of ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb xenotime ages of ca 1800 Ma from other gold deposits in the Tanami region, interpreted as mineralisation ages. The agreement between independently derived ages from several gold deposits lends support for a widespread gold-mineralising event at ca 1800 Ma in the Tanami region.     

Preliminary Characterisation of New Reference Materials for Microanalysis: Chinese Geological Standard Glasses CGSG‐1, CGSG‐2, CGSG‐4 and CGSG‐5

Four silicate glasses were prepared by the fusion of about 1 kg powder each of a basalt, syenite, soil and andesite to provide reference materials of natural composition for microanalytical work. These glasses are referred to as ‘Chinese Geological Standard Glasses’ (CGSG) ‐1, ‐2, ‐4 and ‐5. Micro and bulk analyses indicated that the glasses are well homogenised with respect to major and trace elements. Some siderophile/chalcophile elements (e.g., Sn, Pt, Pb) may be heterogeneously distributed in CGSG‐5. This paper provides the first analytical data for the CGSG reference glasses using a variety of analytical techniques (wet chemistry, XRF, EPMA, ICP‐AES, ICP‐MS, LA‐ICP‐MS) performed in nine laboratories. Most data agree within uncertainty limits of the analytical techniques used. Discrepancies in the data for some siderophile/chalcophile elements exist, mainly because of possible heterogeneities of these elements in the glasses and/or analytical problems. From the analytical data, preliminary reference and information values for fifty‐five elements were calculated. The analytical uncertainties [2 relative standard error (RSE)] were estimated to be between about 1% and 20%.     

Geochronology of the Tore-Madeira Rise seamounts and surrounding areas: a review

We present new ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar data for two of the Tore-Madeira Rise (TMR) volcanic seamounts. A sample from Tore East seamount on the northern part of the TMR yielded an ultra-precise age of 80.50 ± 0.13 Ma (2σ) that is similar within uncertainties to a published age obtained by U–Pb TIMS technique on titanites and zircons extracted from Tore NW seamount. Another sample from Isabelle seamount, located on the southern part of the TMR failed to produce a plateau age but yielded a minimum age estimate of >85 Ma. We filtered the published ages available on the TMR, the surrounding seamounts and the massifs of southwest Portugal to better understand the origin of this magmatic province. Together with this dataset, our new data suggest that: (1) a hypothetical Madeira hot-spot track spanning from Serra de Monchique on the continent to Madeira Archipelago is difficult to reconcile with the occurrence of several seamounts geographically located within or very close to this alleged hot-spot track yet being much older than the age predicted by the age trend.

(2) The geographical distribution and age pattern of the TMR and surrounding areas magmatism are still best explained by the interaction of a mantle melting anomaly emitting magma pulses and the different motion phases of the Iberia plate since 103 Ma.

     

High Precision Isotope Dilution Determination of Potassium by Thermal Ionisation Mass Spectrometry

Two independent articles published more than a decade ago pointed to the potential of the somewhat neglected K‐Ca system for very precise K‐Ca dating and thermochronology, but have not been followed up since. In the first of these articles, highly precise determination of K and hence the K/Ca ratio in lunar granites showed the feasibility of K‐Ca dates of micas with an analytical precision known so far in only U‐Pb and Ar/Ar dating. In the second article, it was shown that responses of the K‐Ca and Rb‐Sr isotopic systems in micas subjected to a slow post‐metamorphic cooling could provide new insights into thermochronology. Crucial to the follow‐up of these two promising leads is the development of a simple and user‐friendly method for routine high precision K determination in real samples, such as the one described in this report.     

Matrix analysis of metamorphic mineral assemblages and reactions: alternatives and extensions

Fisher (1989) advocated using the Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) of the composition matrix of a set of minerals for the determination of reactions between the minerals, and therefore of the compatibility relationships between mineral assemblages. The advantage of using the SVD for this is that an independent set of reactions, the left nullspace of the composition matrix, can be determined for a rank-deficient composition matrix which is close to, or within error of, the observed matrix. The zero singular values in the SVD can be identified by propagating the measurement uncertainties through to the singular values, and saying that singular values are zero if they are within error of zero. Having obtained an independent set of reactions, the reactions in the independent set can be combined linearly to find the full set of reactions. Propagating the measurement uncertainties through to the left nullspace of the composition matrix, the uncertainties in the coefficients of the reactions in the independent set can be determined. From these uncertainties, the uncertainties in all of the reactions can be determined, allowing the identification of reactions which are degenerate within error. This is important because it allows the identification of ambiguities in the compatibility relationships between mineral assemblages.     

晚三叠世-早侏罗世祁连山东部隆升的裂变径迹年代学证据及地质意义

祁连山东北部为青藏高原隆升和东扩的前锋带,新生代以来经历了快速隆升和强烈剥露改造过程,致使前新生代地层面目全非,中生代陆内构造演化事件研究仍较薄弱,缺乏年代学的约束.为揭示和分析祁连山东部中生代构造隆升时限与过程,进而探讨秦祁造山带中生代陆内构造演化特点及区域动力学环境.主要采用物源分析、碎屑沉积物及基岩磷灰石裂变径迹定年,并结合裂变径迹热史反演模拟技术开展研究.研究表明,研究区侏罗系龙凤山组为近源的断陷盆地沉积,物源主要来自其周邻前中生代地层;其碎屑磷灰石裂变径迹未发生重置,年龄、径迹长度特征表明其源区在晚三叠世（±215 Ma）出现了快速冷却事件,同时东北部基岩裂变径迹热史模拟结果亦显示其较好地记录了该期事件,这与前人利用40Ar-39Ar年代学所揭示的西秦岭地区中晚三叠世快速抬升事件具时空统一性.分析表明研究区晚三叠世-早侏罗世发生了快速抬升事件,并认为该构造隆升事件是对中晚三叠世勉略洋闭合、秦岭最终碰撞造山过程的响应.