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.     

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.     

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 dating of kimberlitic zircons

The only reliable method for dating kimberlites at present is the lengthy and specialized hydrothermal procedure that extracts²⁰⁶Pb and²³⁸U from low-uranium zircons. This paper describes a second successful method by fission track dating of large single-crystal zircons, 1.0–1.5 cm in dimension. The use of large crystals overcomes the limitations imposed in conventional fission track analysis which utilizes crushed fragments. Low track densities, optical track dispersion, and the random orientation of polished surfaces in the etch and irradiation cycle are effectively overcome.Fission track ages of zircons from five African kimberlites are reported, from the Kimberley Pool (90.3 ± 6.5 m.y.), Orapa (87.4 ± 5.7 and 92.4 ± 6.1 m.y.), Nzega (51.1 ± 3.8 m.y.), Koffiefontein (90.0 ± 8.2 m.y.), and Val do Queve (133.4 ± 11.5 m.y.). In addition we report the first radiometric ages (707.9 ± 59.6 and 705.5 ± 61.0 m.y.) of crustal zircons from kimberlites in northwest Liberia. The fission track ages agree well with earlier age estimates. Most of the zircons examined in this study are zoned with respect to uranium but linear correlations are established (by regression analysis) between zones of variable uranium content, and within zones of constant uranium content (by analysis of variance). Concordance between the fission track method and the U/Pb technique is established and we concluded that track fading from thermal annealing has not taken place. Kimberlitic zircons dated in this study, therefore, record the time of eruption.     

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.     

North American microtektites from the Caribbean Sea and their fission track age

Over 6000 microscopic glass spherules between 125 μm and 1 mm in diameter were found in a sediment core (RC9-58) from the Caribbean Sea. These glassy objects are mostly confined to a zone ～ 40 cm thick at a depth of ～ 250 cm. We believe that the microscopic glass objects are microtektites belonging to the North American strewnfield, based on their geographical location, appearance, physical properties, stratigraphic age (middle Upper Eocene), fission track age (～34.6 my) and major element compositions. The occurrence of North American microtektites in the Caribbean Sea indicates that the North American strewnfield is two to three times larger than previously indicated. An estimate on the abundance of microtektites in core RC9-58 indicates that the North American strewnfield may contain greater than 10¹⁷ g of tektite material.     

Fission track dating of zircon: Improved etching techniques

A simple new technique for the etching of fission tracks in zircon has been developed which overcomes the practical difficulties of previously described techniques. The etchant is a low melting-point binary eutectic of KOH and NaOH which is used at 200–220°C. As for previous etchants the etching time is strongly dependent on the spontaneous track density. The etched tracks have very similar characteristics to those produced by the earlier 100N NaOH etchant.     

Fission track dating obsidians in Central and Northern Anatolia

Twenty obsidian samples from Central and North Anatolia were dated by the fission track method. Split samples analyzed in two different laboratories give consistent results. Data presented refer to three volcanic fields and are summarized as follows: Orta-Sakaeli (Northern Anatolia) obsidians with ages from 21–23 Ma; Göllü Dagi dome complex near Çiftlik (Central anatolia) has given ages between 1.33–0.98 Ma; Acigöl caldera (Central Anatolia) shows three age groups: (1) Eruptions of precaldera (Bogazköy) obsidians with ages 0.18–0.15 Ma; (2) Formation of the large intracaldera dome Kocadag-Taskesiktepe at about 0.08 Ma (uncorrected apparent age of 0.075 Ma); and (3) Acigöl peripheral obsidian domes with plateau ages of 0.020 and 0.019 Ma, and an additional uncorrected age of 0.018 Ma form a distinct age group. This fission track parameters discriminate between the various obsidian sources of prehistoric obsidian artifacts.     

Fission track age and cooling rate of the Marjalahti pallasite

Nuclear tracks were studied in olivine and merrillite (phosphate previously called whitlockite) from the Marjalahti pallasite. The merrillite contains an important fission contribution due mainly to the spontaneous decay of now extinct²⁴⁴Pu. The U contents of 29 merrillite grains range from 60 to 140 ppb (median value: 85 ppb). Assuming a reasonable fractionation temperature of ～ 1750 K for the pre-pallasitic material, a lower limit of ～ 5 K/Myr is obtained for the cooling rate, in strong contrast with the previous metallographic result (～ 0.5 K/Myr). This disagreement, together with those observed in the case of mesosiderites, strengthens the need for a revision of the metallographic method of retracing the cooling histories of meteorites, as suggested by Narayan and Goldstein [31].     

Fission track dating of volcanic glass shards in marine sediments

The fission track dating method is applied to glass shards from volcanic ash layers in deep sea sediments which have also been dated by other methods. Measured ages for three samples are in excellent agreement with previously determined K-Ar, paleomagnetic and paleontologic ages. The fission track method of dating of glass shards seems to offer itself as a valuable tool for dating marine sediments.     

Fission track annealing and correction procedures for oceanic basalt glasses

Most published and unpublished fission track ages for glasses from oceanic basalts are low relative to age estimates from geologic evidence. Experiments reported here strongly suggest that this results from track annealing at ambient sea-floor temperatures. Four Deep Sea Drilling Project basalts exhibiting this effect were subjected to two independent correction procedures in an attempt to determine their true crystallization times. In all cases larger ages resulted, but dates by the two methods are not generally concordant and do not always agree with the estimated sea-floor age.     

合肥盆地构造热演化的裂变径迹证据

运用裂变径迹分析方法,探讨分析了合肥盆地中新生代的构造热演化特征. 上白垩统和古近系下段样品的磷灰石裂变径迹（AFT）数据主体表现为靠近部分退火带顶部温度(±65℃)有轻度退火,由此估算晚白垩世至古近纪早期合肥盆地断陷阶段的古地温梯度接近38℃/km,高于盆地现今地温梯度(27.5℃/km).下白垩统、侏罗系及二叠系样品的AFT年龄(97.5～2.5Ma)和锆石裂变径迹(ZFT)年龄(118～104Ma)均明显小于其相应的地层年龄,AFT年龄－深度分布呈现冷却型曲线形态,且由古部分退火带、冷却带或前完全退火带及其深部的今部分退火带组成,指示早白垩世的一次构造热事件和其随后的抬升冷却过程. 基于AFT曲线的温度分带模式和流体包裹体测温数据的综合约束,推算合肥盆地早白垩世走滑压陷阶段的古地温梯度接近67℃/km. 径迹年龄分布、AFT曲线拐点年龄和区域抬升剥蚀时间的对比分析结果表明,合肥盆地在早白垩世构造热事件之后的104Ma以来总体处于抬升冷却过程,后期快速抬升冷却事件主要发生在±55Ma.     

Fission track evidence on thermal history of Jiama polymetallic ore district,Tibet

It is a new attempt to study thermal evolution related to mineralization using the fission track (FT) method. Apatite and zircon fission track data are reported for 6 samples collected from Jiama ore district as well as its periphery. The FT ages of apatites in the ore district are (16.1±0.9) Ma and (18.8±1.1) Ma and reflect the age of late period of hydrothermal mineralizing event. Apatite FT age of (22.0±4.3) Ma and zircon FT age of (20.9±2.0) Ma are related to the early period of mineralization. Another zircon FT age of (341.6±79.1) Ma, inheriting mineral source characteristic, has no connection with the mineralization. Based on the thermal history analysis, the mineralization began before 25–22 Ma. Cooling rate in the ore district is 5–6°C/Ma averagely, in which a slow cooling occurred at 90–80°C. About 2.7 km has been denuded and the denudation rate is higher than the uplifting rate.

     

Fission track and U–Pb zircon ages of psammitic rocks from the Harushinai unit,Kamuikotan metamorphic rocks,central Hokkaido,Japan: constraints on metamorphic histories

Accurate pressure–temperature–time (P–T–t) paths of rocks from sedimentation through maximum burial to exhumation are needed to determine the processes and mechanisms that form high‐pressure and low‐temperature type metamorphic rocks. Here, we present a new method combining laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (LA–ICP–MS) U–Pb with fission track (FT) dates for detrital zircons from two psammitic rock samples collected from the Harushinai unit of the Kamuikotan metamorphic rocks. The concordant zircon U–Pb ages for these samples vary markedly, from 1980 to 95 Ma, with the youngest age clusters in both samples yielding Albian‐Cenomanian weighted mean ages of 100.8 ± 1.1 and 99.3 ± 1.0 Ma (2σ uncertainties). The zircon U–Pb ages were not reset by high‐P/T type metamorphism, because there is no indication of overgrowth within the zircons with igneous oscillatory zoning. Therefore, these weighted mean ages are indicative of the maximum age of deposition of protolithic material. By comparison, the zircon FT data yield a pooled age of ca. 90 Ma, which is almost the same as the weighted mean age of the youngest U–Pb age cluster. This indicates that the zircon FT ages were reset at ca. 90 Ma while still at their source, but have not been reset since. This conclusion is supported by recorded temperature conditions of less than about 300 °C (the closure temperature of zircon FTs), as estimated from microstructures in the deformed detrital quartz grains in psammitic rocks, and no shortening of fission track lengths in the zircon. Combining these new data with previously reported white mica K–Ar ages indicates that the Harushinai unit was deposited after ca. 100 Ma, and underwent burial to its maximum depth before being subjected to a localized thermal overprint during exhumation at ca. 58 Ma.     

Fission track dating of the Cenozoic uplift in Mabian area, southern Sichuan Province, China

The apparent ages of samples are obtained from fission track dating of apatite samples collected from the fault zones in Mabian area, southern Sichuan Province. In addition, thermal history is simulated from the obtained data by applying AFT Solve Program, to acquire the thermal evolution history of the samples. The result shows that tectonically the Mabian area was relatively stable between 25 and 3 Ma, compared to the inner parts and other marginal areas of the Tibetan Plateau. The studied area had little response to the rapid uplift events that occurred for several times in the Tibetan Plateau during 25-3 Ma. The latest thermal event related to the activity of the Lidian fault zone (about 8 Ma ) is later than that of the Ebian fault zone (18-15 Ma ) to the west, indicating to some extent that the evolution of fault activity in the Mabian area has migrated from west to east. The latest extensive tectonic uplift occurred since about 3 Ma. As compared with the Xianshuihe fault zone, the Mabian area is closer to the east- ern margin of the plateau, while the time of fast cooling event in this area is later than that in the southeast segment of the Xianshuihe fault zone (3.6-3.46 Ma ). It appears to support the assumption of episodic uplift and stepwise outward extension of the eastern boundary of the Tibetan Plateau in late Cenozoic.     

Isotopic fractionation of zinc in tektites

Tektites are terrestrial natural glasses produced during a hypervelocity impact of an extraterrestrial projectile onto the Earth's surface. The similarity between the chemical and isotopic compositions of tektites and terrestrial upper continental crust implies that the tektites formed by fusion of such target rock. Tektites are among the driest rocks on Earth. Although volatilization at high temperature may have caused this extreme dryness, the exact mechanism of the water loss and the behavior of other volatile species during tektite formation are still debated. Volatilization can fractionate isotopes, therefore, comparing the isotope composition of volatile elements in tektites with that of their source rocks may help to understand the physical conditions during tektite formation.For this study, we have measured the Zn isotopic composition of 20 tektites from four different strewn fields. Almost all samples are enriched in heavy isotopes of Zn compared to the upper continental crust. On average, the different groups of tektites are isotopically distinct (listed from the isotopically lightest to the heaviest): Muong-Nong type indochinites (δ^66/64Zn = 0.61 ± 0.30‰); North American bediasites (δ^66/64Zn = 1.61 ± 0.49‰); Ivory Coast tektites (δ^66/64Zn = 1.66 ± 0.18‰); the Australasian tektites (others than the Muong Nong-type indochinites) (δ^66/64Zn = 1.84 ± 0.42‰); and Central European moldavites (δ^66/64Zn = 2.04 ± 0.19‰). These results are contrasted with a narrow range of δ^66/64Zn = 0–0.7‰ for a diverse spectrum of upper continental crust materials.The elemental abundance of Zn is negatively correlated with δ^66/64Zn, which may reflect that isotopic fractionation occurred by evaporation during the heating event upon tektite formation. Simple Rayleigh distillation predicts isotopic fractionations much larger than what is actually observed, therefore, such a model cannot account for the observed Zn isotope fractionation in tektites. We have developed a more realistic model of evaporation of Zn from a molten sphere: during its hypervelocity trajectory, the molten surface of the tektite will be entrained by viscous coupling with air that will then induce a velocity field inside the molten sphere. This velocity field induces significant radial chemical mixing within the tektite that accelerates the evaporation process. Our model, albeit parameter dependent, shows that both the isotopic composition and the chemical abundances measured in tektites can be produced by evaporation in a diffusion-limited regime.     

Fission track geochronology of King Island,Bass Strait,Australia: Relationship to continental rifting

Fission track ages have been determined on sphene and apatite from the granitic rocks of King Island in Bass Strait, southeastern Australia. In all cases sphene and apatite ages are markedly discordant. Sphene ages compare very closely to earlier KAr measurements and indicate an emplacement age of about 350 m.y. for the east coast group of granites and their important scheelite mineralization. Apatite ages are all younger by about 80–200 m.y. suggesting that fission tracks were not fully retained in this mineral until the Cretaceous. During the Cretaceous King Island was at the edge of the developing Otway Rift Valley which resulted in the breakup of Australia and Antarctica. Uplift of the basement rocks along the rift margin with consequent rapid erosion allowed the apatites to cool below about 110°C and begin accumulating fission tracks for the first time. Differing degrees of uplift, at least partly fault controlled, have produced a regular pattern of apatite ages across the island. A relationship between apatite fission track ages and continental breakup may be a widespread phenomenon which could give valuable insight into the thermal and tectonic development of rifted continental margins.     

Cosmic-ray-induced fission of heavy nuclides: Possible influence on apparent U-fission track ages of extraterrestrial samples

The rates of cosmic-ray-induced fission of U, Th, Bi, Pb, and Au in mineral samples as a function of burial depth in the lunar surface layer are calculated using the available experimental particle flux and cross section data. Theoretical correction factors are given for apparent fission track ages of extraterrestrial samples of different burial depths which were exposed to cosmic rays for various time fractions of their solidification age. Samples having typical lunar heavy element contents can yield apparent fission track ages which are too high by a factor of up to 13 due to cosmic-ray-induced fission. The interference may be neglected, if the ratio of exposure age to solidification age remains 5 × 10⁻³. The calculations show, that the induced fission of Bi, Pb, and Au which are known to have high meteoritic abundances may dominate spontaneous ²³⁸U-fission in long-time exposed meteorites of low U and Th contents.