铜陵地区中酸性侵入岩年代学研究

本文选择了铜陵地区主要岩石类型的代表性岩体中黑云母为测定对象，准确地测定了侵入岩的４０Ａｒ／３９Ａｒ同位素年龄。测定结果表明，区内侵入岩的年龄均小于１４０Ｍａ，属燕山晚期的产物，后期热事件为成矿时代，晚于岩浆侵入时代，在此基础上，分析了ＫＡｒ法、ＲｂＳｒ法同位素年龄产生偏差的原因     

激光显微探针~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar同位素定年

已有 5 0年历史的K Ar定年法 ,由于过剩Ar和Ar丢失的普遍发现 ,使其最广泛的应用面临着严重挑战。40 Ar/ 3 9Ar分步加热释氩法是常规K Ar定年法的发展 ,它克服了常规K Ar定年法的一些局限 ,又可以测定岩浆构造热事件。激光显微探针40 Ar/ 3 9Ar定年法是在 2 0世纪末把聚焦激光束应用在40 Ar/ 3 9Ar分步加热释氩法中而发展起来的一种定年方法。它既具有常规K Ar定年法和40Ar/ 3 9Ar分步加热释氩法的所有优越性 ,又把定年引入微观领域。特别是在 2 0世纪的最后几年 ,以激光显微探针40 Ar/ 3 9Ar定年方法的完善和精度的提高为标志 ,把K Ar年代学研究推向了一个新的里程碑。微区微量高精度高分辨定年 ,把定年时限扩展到人类历史范畴 ,精细的分析技术拓宽了年代学的应用范围 ,使之解决的地质问题更广泛和深入 ,并且开始冲击着地球科学中的某些热点和难点课题。     

印度—亚洲大陆主碰撞过程的火山作用响应

广泛发育在西藏冈底斯岩浆岩带中的林子宗火山岩及其与下伏地层间的区域性不整合 ,提供了印度—亚洲大陆碰撞 (在西藏南部 )的构造火成岩新证据。岩石学、主元素、微量元素、稀土元素及Nd Sr Pb同位素地球化学研究表明 ,林子宗火山岩早期带有较多陆缘弧火山岩特征 ,中期开始出现标志陆内岩浆活动的钾玄岩 ,晚期更多地显示了加厚陆壳条件下火山岩的特点 ,记录了由新特提斯俯冲消减末期过渡到印度—亚洲大陆碰撞的信息。系统的40 Ar/3 9Ar同位素测年确定林子宗火山岩的年龄区间为 4 0 .84～ 6 4 .4 7Ma ;其底部年龄给出了林子宗火山岩与下伏地层间不整合形成时间的最晚时限 (～ 6 5Ma)。该不整合面上、下之地层在沉积相、变形样式与变形程度上均截然不同 ,反映形成环境的重大变化 ,标志着一次重大的地质事件。根据上述事实 ,结合青藏高原岩浆活动的区域时空分布 ,及西藏南部地层、古生物与沉积研究成果 ,笔者认为印度—亚洲大陆碰撞开始于 6 5Ma左右(K/T界限时间 )。     

河北大庙铁矿床黑云母40Ar/39Ar年龄及其地质意义

文章以野外观察为基础确定了致矿侵入体,以岩相学特征确立了测年样品的代表性。在此基础上,选取大庙铁矿大乌素沟矿区浸染状铁矿石中的黑云母进行了40Ar/39Ar年龄测定,坪年龄为(395.8±3.7) Ma,反等时线年龄为(395.6±4.0) Ma(2σ; MSWD=0.9; n=8)。因此,大庙铁矿及其致矿苏长岩的形成年龄约为396 Ma,相当于中泥盆世,而不是前人所认为的元古宙。新的测年结果与区域上近年来陆续识别出来的泥盆纪侵入岩类形成年龄一致,不仅表明华北克拉通的改造过程至少从泥盆纪就已经开始,而且暗示华北克拉通北缘仍有寻找其他“大庙式铁矿”的潜力。同时,文章提出,用成岩年龄作为成矿年龄时,需要有可靠的地质学和岩相学证据。 关键词：大庙式铁矿;斜长岩;苏长岩;40Ar/39Ar定年;成矿年代;华北克拉通     

40Ar/39Ar ages and 40Ar* concentrations of fine-grained sediment fractions from North Atlantic Heinrich layers

New K/Ar ages based on ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar incremental heating of <2- and 2–20-μm size fractions of the well-characterized, carbonate-bearing Heinrich layers of core V28-82 in the eastern North Atlantic are 846–1049 Ma, overlapping with conventional K/Ar ages from the same Heinrich layers on the Dreizack seamounts of 844–1074 Ma. This agreement suggests the equivalence of the methods in fine-grained terrigenous sediments. Additionally, Heinrich layer H2 yielded a ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar-based K/Ar age of 970±4 from Orphan Knoll in the southern Labrador Sea, within the range found in eastern North Atlantic Heinrich layers. Thus, the K/Ar data are robust in their indication of a dominant Labrador Sea ice-rafted source to even the finest sediment fraction in the eastern North Atlantic during the massive detrital carbonate-bearing Heinrich events of the last glacial cycle (H1, H2, H4, H5). Close correspondence of the radiogenic argon concentration (⁴⁰Ar*) from the de-carbonated <63-μm fractions from V28-82 with the <2- and 2–16-μm fractions from the Driezack seamounts demonstrates that this measurement is a rapid and reliable method for correlating these layers within their belt of distribution.A ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar-based K/Ar age of 433±5 million years for H11 in V28-82 is within the range of published data from background sediments in the eastern North Atlantic, and is consistent with published results across this interval in the Driezack seamounts. In contrast, the ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar-based K/Ar age of H11 in the western Atlantic core EW9303-JPC37 is 614±5 million years. A brick red sample from approximately the interval of H3 of core EW9303-GGC40 yielded a ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar-based K/Ar age of 567±1 million years, comparable to the published range of 523–543 Ma from the 2–16-μm fractions from that interval on the Dreizack seamounts. Both JPC37 and GGC40 are located in the path of the North Atlantic Drift. The older ages from western samples of H3 and H11 may result from dilution of a Hudson Strait source or an elevated age from southeastern Laurentide sources.     

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。     

大庙斜长岩同位素地质年龄、稀土地球化学及其地质意义

大庙斜长岩的⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar年龄测定呈现出一条典型的马鞍型年龄谱,在中温阶段有二个明显的坪年龄1656±15 Ma和1029±7 Ma,结合其构造位置和全球斜长岩分布来看,它们分别代表了侵位年龄和后期热扰动的时代。密云奥长环斑花岗岩中角闪石的⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar坪年龄为1716±21 Ma。两者时空上密切相关,代表了裂谷作用初期非造山环境中双模式岩浆作用产物。斜长岩类和苏长岩之间稀土配分模式的相似性表明,它们明显为同一成因的岩浆分异系列的产物。     

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.     

Evaluation of KAr isochron methods

The KAr isochron method is an attempt to obtain the initial age or reset age and the extraneous argon isotopic ratio of a suite of cogenetic samples of different K-contents. Some samples contain excess argon-40 and others lose argon-40. The resultant ages on single samples are not significant geologically. We have discussed the principles of three types of isochrons commonly used, the ⁴⁰Ar vs ⁴⁰K isochron, the ⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar vs ⁴⁰K/³⁰Ar isochron, and the ⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar vs ³⁹Ar/³⁶Ar isochron, and evaluated the first two types for ten different hypothetical cases. If a straight line is obtained in the ⁴⁰Ar vs ⁴⁰K isochron, a positive intercept indicates an approximately constant amount of excess argon, whereas a negative intercept indicates argon loss. A curved line or scattering of points indicates that the basic assumptions are not valid for the set of samples under consideration. The ⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar vs ⁴⁰K/³⁶Ar isochron method is valid, rigorously, only when all samples of the system under consideration have the same non-radiogenic argon isotope composition. This requires that either no excess argon is present in the system, or else each analysis contains the same proportion of excess and atmospheric argon. If these conditions do not hold, approximately, invalid ages and invalid intercepts are obtained. Any KAr isochron needs to be used with caution.     

Loss of 40Ar(rad) from leucite-bearing basanite at low temperature: implications on K/Ar dating.

The Bakony-Balaton Highland Volcanic Field (BBHVF) is located in the central part of Transdanubia, Pannonian Basin, with over 50 alkali basaltic volcanoes. The basanite plug of Hegyestu erupted in the first phase of volcanic activity. K/Ar and Ar/Ar ages were published for the BBHVF. K/Ar and Ar/Ar ages of the leucite-bearing basanite of Hegyestás were conflicting. This is caused by the special Ar retention feature of leucite in this basanite. K/Ar ages measured in the usual way were 25–45% younger, but after HCl treatment of the rock, or after reducing the baking temperature of the argon extraction line from 250°C to 150°C, they became similar to the Ar/Ar ages. All Ar/Ar determinations were performed after HF treatment. HCl treatment dissolved olivine, nepheline, leucite, magnetite and from 1-1 sample analcime or calcite. K dissolution studies from different locations of Hegyestü have shown that K content is mostly ≈2%, but it may decrease to ≈0.3%. HCl treatment dissolved 28.0–63.5% of the K content. The calculated K concentration for the dissolved part of samples with ~2%K was 4.02-6.42%: showing that leucite is responsible for the low temperature loss of ⁴⁰Ar(rad). Ar may release at low temperature from very finegrained mineral, or when the Ar release mechanism changes. A ⁴⁰Ar(rad) degassing spectrum has been recorded in the 55–295°C range of baking temperature and the data were plotted in the Arrhenius diagram. The diagram shows that a change of the structure in the 145–295°C range caused the loss of ⁴⁰Ar(rad). On fractions of HCl treated rock 7.56±0.17 Ma isochron K/Ar age has been determined. This is regarded as minimum age of eruption and it is similar to the Ar/Ar isochron age (7.78±0.07 Ma).     

阿尔泰地区中、新生代岩浆活动的同位素年龄证据

长期以来，对阿尔泰地区有无印支、燕山期岩浆活动一直存在争议。本研究得到以下年龄结果：将军山花岗岩（＾４０Ａｒ／＾３９Ａｒ坪年龄）２２０Ｍａ、康布铁堡花岗岩（＾４０Ａｒ／＾３９Ａｒ高温视年龄）２１４Ｍａ、尚可兰花岗岩（Ｒｂ－Ｓｒ全岩等时线年龄）１７６Ｍａ、阿拉尔花岗岩（＾４０Ａｒ／＾３９Ａｒ坪年龄）１３１Ｍａ。以上数据和与本区处在同一构造单元的前苏联矿区阿尔泰及山区阿尔泰１２个浅色花岗岩锆石Ｕ－Ｐｂ     

Geochronology of Precambrian rocks in the Laramie Range and implications for the tectonic framework of Precambrian southern Wyoming

From Casper Mountain; at its northern end, to the northwestern margin of the Laramie anorthosite—syenite complex, in its central parts, the Laramie Range is underlain by granite and granitic gneiss that has a minimum age of 2.54 ± 0.04 Ga (Rb/Sr whole-rock isochron) and by metasedimentary rocks, including marble and quartzite, that appear to overlie the granitic gneiss nonconformably (minimum age: 1.7 Ga based on several horn-blende K/Ar dates). Southward from the anorthosite—syenite complex into Colorado, the Range is underlain chiefly by the Sherman Granite (1.41 Ga; Peterman and Hedge, 1968) and scattered patches of gneiss that are not dated, but are tentatively correlated wit similar gneiss in the southern Medicine Bow Mountains and in the Colorado Front Range, where they are dated as ? 1.7 Ga (Peterman and Hedge, 1968).The Laramie anorthosite—syenite complex (minimum age: ? 1.42 Ga or ? 1.51 Ga if a hornblende K/Ar date is accepted) apparently intruded the suture separating the old (? 2.5 Ga) continental edge from younger (? 1.7 Ga) geosynclinal rocks. The suture, which manifests itself as the Mullen Creek—Nash Fork shear zone in the Medicine Bow Mountains, also is the boundary between ensialic and ensimatic geosynclinal deposition that occurred during the interval 1.7–2.5 Ga ago.K/Ar dates on biotite and muscovite from rocks north of the anorthosite—syenite complex grade from 2.5 Ga on Casper Mountain down to 1.38 Ga near the complex. Near its northern tip, the Laramie Range is crossed by a geochronologic front, separating 2.5 Ga old gneiss whose K/Ar dates were not lowered by subsequent metamorphism from 2.5 Ga old gneiss whose mica dates were reset between 1.4 and 1.6 Ga ago.     

Kar and RbSr whole-rock ages reset during pan african event in the sinai peninsula (Ataqa Area)

A low pressure metamorphic Pan African terrain, composed mainly of schists and hornfels, ranging from high greenschist to low amphibolite facies, is exposed west of Dahab, southeastern Sinai, located between the metamorphic Kid Complex and the Feirani Volcanics.The studied metamorphic unit was dated using RbSr and KAr methods. A RbSr whole-rock isochron (based on seven samples) yields an age of 602 ± 11 Ma with an initial (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr) ratio of 0.7041 ± 4. The RbSr age is assumed to be the age of a metamorphic phase (600 ± 10 Ma) well known in the area. On the other hand, KAr whole-rock ages (based on nine samples) show different values ranging from 590 to 526 Ma. These low KAr ages are due to the resetting of the KAr system by a thermal event, before 530 Ma affecting the Ar behaviour without disturbing the RbSr system. The Ar escape took place mainly from K-bearing feldspars, which were not affected by later textural, crystallographic or mineralogic variations.     

40Ar/39Ar and K–Ar age constraints on the timing of regional deformation,south coast of New South Wales,Lachlan Fold Belt: Problems and implications

Four slate samples from subduction complex rocks exposed on the south coast of New South Wales, south of Batemans Bay, were analysed by K–Ar and ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar step‐heating methods. One sample contains relatively abundant detrital muscovite flakes that are locally oblique to the regional cleavage in the rock, whereas the remaining samples appear to contain sparse detrital muscovite. Separates of detrital muscovite yielded plateau ages of 505 ± 3 Ma and 513 ± 3 Ma indicating that inheritance has not been eliminated by metamorphism and recrystallisation. Step‐heating analyses of whole‐rock chips from all four slate samples produced discordant apparent age spectra with ‘saddle shapes’ following young apparent ages at the lowest temperature increments. Elevated apparent ages associated with the highest temperature steps are attributed to the presence of variable quantities of detrital muscovite (<1–5%). Two whole‐rock slate samples yielded similar ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar integrated ages of ca 455 Ma, which are some 15–30 million years older than K–Ar ages for the same samples. These discrepancies suggest that the slates have also been affected by recoil loss/redistribution of ³⁹Ar, leading to anomalously old ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages. Two other samples, from slaty tectonic mélange and intensely cleaved slate, yielded average ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar integrated ages of ca 424 Ma, which are closer to associated mean K–Ar ages of 423 ± 4 Ma and 409 ± 16 Ma, respectively. Taking into account the potential influences of recoil loss/redistribution of ³⁹Ar and inheritance, the results from the latter samples suggest a maximum age of ca 440 Ma for deformation/metamorphism. The current results indicate that recoil and inheritance problems may also have affected whole‐rock ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar data reported from other regions of the Lachlan Fold Belt. Therefore, until these effects are adequately quantified, models for the evolution of the Lachlan Fold Belt, that are based on such whole‐rock ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar data, should be treated with caution.     

Illite K–Ar dating and crystal growth processes in diagenetic environments: a critical review

K–Ar dating of illitic minerals is commonly used in studies of diagenetic series applied to oil prospecting. In spite of a great number of specialized papers, some problems remain unresolved. These are mostly due to a misunderstanding of the argon accumulation process during illitization. Criteria for identifying detrital–authigenic mineral mixtures, crystal ripening, fast precipitation or continuous nucleation‐growth processes are discussed using K–Ar data available in the literature. Using different parameters, such as Δ_age (age_K–Ar ? age_strati), Δ_cryst (diagenetic age_K–Ar ? age_strati) or Δ_frac (age_{K–Arfraction} ?age_K–Arfinest), it is shown that the K–Ar age significance depends on the illite nucleation–growth processes. A ‘diagenetic age’ is obtained when these processes are rapid (the K₂O accumulation period is shorter than 2σ). If lower than this value, the K–Ar ratio depends on the proportions of new and old particles, respectively, which are controlled by the relative rates of nucleation, crystal growth and ripening.     

Evaluation of 40Ar/39Ar Geochronology of Authigenic Illites in Determining Hydrocarbon Charge Timing: A Case Study from the Silurian Bituminous Sandstone Reservoirs,Tarim Basin,China

The Silurian bituminous sandstones(SBS) in the Tarim Basin, China are important basinwide reservoirs with an estimated area of approximately 249000 km2. We investigated the ages of authigenic illites in the SBS reservoirs and constrained their formation timing by using the ~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar step wise heating method. The age spectra, ~(39)Ar recoil loss and their controlling factors were investigated systematically. The ~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar ages were compared with the conventional K/Ar ages of identical clay fractions. The clay in the SBS reservoirs is dominated by orderly mixed-layer illite/smectite(I/S) with 5%–30% smectite layers. The I/S minerals morphology comprises primarily honeycomb, short filamentous and curved-lath particles, characteristic of authigenic illites. The unencapsulated ~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar total gas ages(UTGA) of the authigenic illites range from 188.56 ± 6.20 Ma to 491.86 ± 27.68 Ma, which are 7% to 103% older than the corresponding K/Ar ages of 124.87 ± 1.11 Ma to 383.45 ± 2.80 Ma, respectively. The K-Ar ages indicate multistage accumulations with distinct distribution patterns in the Tarim Basin: older(late Caledonian-early Hercynian) around the basin margin, younger(late Hercynian) in the basin centre, and the youngest(middle to late Yanshanian) in the Ha-6 well-block, central area of the North Uplift. The age difference is believed to have been caused by the ~(39)Ar recoil loss during the irradiation process. Compared with the K/Ar ages, the estimated ~(39)Ar recoil losses in this study are in the range from 7% to 51%. The ~(39)Ar recoil loss appears to increase not only with the decreasing particle sizes of the I/S, but also with increasing percentage of smectite layers(IR) of the I/S, and smectite layer content(SLC) of the samples. We conclude that due to significant ~(39)Ar recoil losses, UTGA may not offer any meaningful geological ages of the authigenic illite formation in the SBS and thus can not be used to represent the hydrocarbon charge timing. ~(39)Ar recoil losses during ~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar dating can not be neglected when dating fine authigenic illite, especially when the ordered mixed-layer I/S containing small amount of smectite layers(IR30%) in the reservoir formations. Compared with the unencapsulated Ar-Ar method, the conventional K-Ar method is less complicated, more accurate and reliable in dating authigenic illites in petroleum reservoirs.     

Direct 40Ar/39Ar K‐feldspar dating of Late Permian—Early Triassic brittle faulting in northern Norway

While the offshore post‐Caledonian extensional history of the north Norwegian passive margin is well constrained, the tectonic relationship between onshore and offshore regions is less clear because of limited age constraints on the timing of rifting onshore. ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating of K‐feldspar from hydrothermally altered fault rocks in a Precambrian gneiss complex in northern Norway was used to study the timing of extensional faulting onshore. In addition, ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating of K‐feldspar from the host rock provided insight into the regional rock cooling history prior to brittle deformation. Results indicated a dominant Late Permian–Early Triassic (~265–244 Ma) faulting event and found no evidence for later reactivation, which has been documented offshore. The region cooled to below the closure temperature for ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar K‐feldspar in the Carboniferous to Early Permian, prior to the main brittle faulting event. ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating of fault zone K‐feldspar products provided a means to date brittle faulting events.     

应用40Ar—39Ar定年技术研究某些火山岩及陨石样品的受热历史

常规的K-Ar法是基于⁴⁰K通过K-层电子捕获衰变成⁴⁰Ar^*这一机理,应用衰变定律而定年的。它具有测定对象广、测定年龄范围大等优点,是同位素地质定年的主要方法之一。但是,由于⁴⁰Ar^*是气体,当岩石、矿物形成以后受到搅动时(如岩浆的侵入、构造活动、宇宙物质的冲击等),⁴⁰Ar^*容易丢失,使年龄值偏低。1962年由Sigurgeirsson提出的,后经Merrihue、Turner等人逐步完善的⁴⁰Ar-³⁹Ar快中子活化定年技术,很好地克服了K-Ar法的局限性。⁴⁰Ar-³⁹Ar定年分为两种:一是全熔融法(total fusion),样品被快中子照射后一次加热熔融,然后计算年龄,此值与常规K-Ar法结果相当;另一种是阶段加热法(step-heating),被照射的样品从低温到高温被逐步加热,分别计算各温度阶段的⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar视年龄,并进而得到一条年龄谱和一个坪年龄(plateau age)。后一种方法对研究地质体是否受过热的挠动、岩石矿物的早期结晶年代、后期热挠动次数、热挠动年代、岩石矿物对氢的保存性、过剩氩的存在状态等具有独特作用,它开辟了同位素地质年代学的一个新领域。本文将着重介绍应用⁴⁰Ar-³⁹Ar阶段加热技术研究地球物质及陨石受热历史的某些成果。     

Dating of glauconite from the Ngalia Basin,Northern Territory,Australia∗

Rb‐Sr and K‐Ar measurements have been made on five glauconite samples from the near basal Treuer Member of the Vaughan Springs Quartzite of the Ngalia Basin, Northern Territory, Australia. Comparison of results between and within the two groups of data demonstrates that variable losses of radiogenic strontium and argon have occurred, but allows a minimum age of 1280 m.y. to be calculated for the member. Sedimentation began in the Ngalia Basin shortly before the time of deposition of this member.

Regional correlations suggest that this minimum age applies to the adjacent Amadeus Basin as well.

Measurements were also made on glauconite from a single sample of the Lower Palaeozoic Djagamara Formation which is in the same sequence. It yields a mid‐Ordovician K‐Ar age which generally agrees with the broad range of post‐Lower Cambrian to pre‐Carboniferous age determined from fossil evidence in bounding formations. A low Rb/Sr ratio prevented calculation of a Rb‐Sr age, but the combination of K‐Ar age and Rb‐Sr measurements allowed an accurate initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of .739 to be determined. This is much greater than ocean water values, and it appears that such information on young samples and/or those of low Rb/Sr ratio could help define the source material for glauconite formation.     

Part II. Evaluation of Ar-Ar quartz ages: Implications for fluid inclusion retentivity and determination of initial Ar/Ar values in Proterozoic samples

The argon isotope systematics of vein-quartz samples with two different K-reservoirs have been evaluated in detail. Potassium is hosted by ultra-high-salinity fluid inclusions in quartz samples from the Eloise and Osborne iron-oxide-copper-gold (IOCG) deposits of the Mt Isa Inlier, Australia. In contrast, K is hosted by accidentally trapped mica within lower-salinity fluid inclusions of a sample selected from the Railway Fault, 13 km south of the Mt Isa copper mine, Australia. Imprecise apparent ages have been obtained for all of the samples studied and conclusively demonstrate that quartz fluid inclusions are retentive to Ar and have not leaked over billions of years. IOCG samples that host K in fluid inclusions only, have K/Cl values of <1 and the ages obtained represent the maximum ages for mineralization. In contrast, the Railway Fault samples that include accidentally trapped mica have K/Cl values of ?1. Excess ⁴⁰Ar_E plus Cl hosted by fluid inclusions, and radiogenic ⁴⁰Ar_R plus K, are strongly correlated in these samples and define a plane in 3D ⁴⁰Ar-³⁶Ar-K-Cl space. In this case, the plane yields an ‘excess ⁴⁰Ar_E’ corrected age of ∼1030 Ma that is 100’s of Ma younger than nearby Cu-mineralization at Mt Isa. The age is interpreted to reflect ⁴⁰Ar-loss from the accidentally trapped mica into the surrounding fluid inclusions, and is not related to the samples’ age of formation. The initial ⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar value of fluid inclusions is widely used to provide information on fluid origin. For the IOCG samples that host K in fluid inclusions only, the initial ⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar values are close to the measured values at every temperature of stepped heating experiments. For samples that include accidentally trapped mica, the correction for post-entrapment radiogenic ⁴⁰Ar_R production is significant. Furthermore, because ³⁹Ar_K present in accidentally trapped mica crystals is released at different temperatures to radiogenic ⁴⁰Ar_R lost to the surrounding fluid inclusions, intra-sample ⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar variation cannot be reliably documented. The results demonstrate that noble gas analysis is readily applicable to Proterozoic, or older, samples but that if K-mineral impurities are present within quartz the abundance of K must be determined before calculation of mean ⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar values that are representative of the samples’ initial composition.