40Ar/39Ar age and thermal history of the Kirin chondrite

The Kirin meteorite, a large (2800kg) H5 chondrite, fell in Kirin Province, China in 1976. A sample from each of the two largest fragments (K-1, K-2) yield⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar total fusion ages of 3.63 ± 0.02b.y. and 2.78 ± 0.02b.y. respectively.⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age spectra show typical diffusional argon loss profiles. Maximum apparent ages of 4.36 b.y. (K-1) and ～4.0 b.y. (K-2) are interpreted as possible minimum estimates for the age of crystallization of the parent body.The⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages found for gas released at low temperature are about 2.2 b.y. for K-1 and about 0.5 b.y. for K-2, suggesting that this meteorite may have suffered two discrete collisional events that caused degassing of radiogenic argon. Modelling of possible thermal events in the parent body indicates that samples K-1 and K-2 were at a depth of less than 3 m from the base of an impact melt of a thickness less than 7 m and separated by no more than ～2 m from one another at the time of the heating event about 0.5 b.y. ago. Further, the duration of heating was probably less than a few years.Calculations from³⁸Ar data yield exposure ages for samples K-1 and K-2 of about 5 m.y., similar to that found for many other H chondrites.     

Excess40Ar in metamorphic rocks from Broken Hill,New South Wales: implications for40Ar/39Ar age spectra and the thermal history of the region

⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age spectrum analyses of samples from Broken Hill, New South Wales, indicate that the region has experienced a complex thermal history following high-grade metamorphism, 1660 Ma ago. The terrain cooled slowly (～3°C Ma^?1) until about 1570 Ma ago, when the temperature fell below about 500°C. Following granitoid emplacement ～1500 Ma ago, the region remained relatively cold until affected by a thermal pulse 520±40Ma ago, causing temperatures to rise to～350°C in some places. During this event, accumulated⁴⁰Ar was released from minerals causing a significant Ar partial pressure to develop. Laboratory Ar solubility data combined with the⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age spectra gives a local estimate of this partial pressure of ～10^?4atm. The region finally cooled below 100°C about 280 Ma ago.⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age spectrum analyses of hornblende, plagioclase and clinopyroxene containing excess⁴⁰Ar are characterized by saddle-shaped age spectra. Detailed analysis of plagioclase samples reveals a complex diffusion behaviour, which is controlled by exsolution structures. This effect, in conjunction with the presumed different lattice occupancy of excess⁴⁰Ar with respect to radiogenic⁴⁰Ar, appears to be responsible for the saddle-shaped age spectra.     

40Ar/39Ar incremental-release ages of biotite from a progressively remetamorphosed Archean basement terrane in southwestern Labrador

Gneisses within an Archean basement terrane adjacent to the southwestern portion of the Labrador Trough were variably retrograded during a regional metamorphism of Grenville age (ca. 1000 Ma). Biotites from non-retrograded segments of the gneiss terrane record⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar plateau and isochron ages which date times of cooling following an episode of the Kenoran orogeny (2376–2391 Ma). A suite of gneiss samples displaying varying degrees of retrograde alteration was collected across the Grenville metamorphic gradient. Biotites in these samples show no petrographic evidence of retrograde alteration, however they do record internally discordant⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age spectra. Although the extent of internal discordance is variable, the overall character of the release patterns is similar with younger apparent ages recorded in intermediate-temperature gas fractions. The total-gas dates range from 2257±27 Ma (northwest) to 1751±23 Ma (southeast), suggesting that variable quantities of radiogenic argon were lost from the Archean biotites during Grenville metamorphism. The “saddle-shaped” nature of the discordant spectra indicates that argon loss was not accomplished through single-stage, volume diffusion processes.Biotites in portions of the gneiss terrane which were completely recrystallized during Grenville metamorphism are petrographically and texturally distinct. A representative of this phase records a⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar plateau age of 2674±28 Ma. This date is markedly inconsistent with regional constraints on the timing of Grenville metamorphism, and indicates the presence of extraneous argon components. Both the extraneous and radiogenic argon components must have been liberated in constant proportions during experimental heating because the argon isotopic data yield a well-defined⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar vs.³⁹Ar/³⁶Ar isochron corresponding to an age (2658±23 Ma) similar to that defined by the plateau portion of the spectrum.The⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar biotite dates suggest that the effects of Grenville metamorphism extent 15–20 km northward into the Superior Province. The limit of this overprint is approximately coincident with the northernmost development of Grenville age thrust faults in the Archean terrane. Therefore, it is proposed that the northern margin of the Grenville Province in southwestern Labrador should be located along the northernmost Grenville thrust fault because this represents both a structural and a thermal discontinuity.     

40Ar/39Ar dating of the long range dikes,Newfoundland

Stepwise outgassing experiments were performed on eleven whole rock samples from a sequence of diabase dikes from the Great Northern Peninsula. Gas released at high temperatures (> ? 925–950°C) was consistently characterized by anomalously high apparent ages. These are attributed to the release of excess radiogenic argon, gas which probably resides in the mineral augite. At temperatures below ? 700°C, a wide range in apparent age was observed. On the other hand, the medium temperature region (? 700–950°C) is characterized by a relatively small range in apparent age. Data points corresponding to this region are rather well correlated in an isochron-type diagram; the slope of the best-fitting straight line corresponds to an aget = 605 ± 10m.y. We suggest that the outgassing of unaltered plagioclase is dominating the age spectra in this temperature interval. Consequently, we take 605 ± 10 m.y. as the time of emplacement of the Long Range dike swarm. This event may have marked the opening of a proto-Atlantic Ocean. The Acadian Orogeny (perhaps the ocean-closing event ? 380 m.y. ago) appears to be recorded in the low-medium temperature regions in the cases of two rather extensively altered samples.     

Intercalibration of international and domestic 40Ar/39Ar dating standards

Four international standards, Ga1550, MMhb-1, Lp-6, Bem 4M, and one domestic standard BT-1 have been intercalibrated. The repeated measurements on MMhb-1 with different mass demonstrate that MMhb-1 is inhomogeneous in age and its average age is 519.8 Ma. The results of Bern 4M and Lp-6 reflect that they have an invariable value of ⁴⁰Ar*/³⁹Ar_k (F) and the ages we obtained are consensus with their K-Ar age: Lp-6=127.7Ma; Bern 4M=18.2 Ma. Analyses of BT-1 age spectra, Ca/K and Cl/K spectra as well as inverse isochrons indicate that the sample is homogeneous and invariable and keeps close chemically, with its trapped argon isotope composition close to the atmosphere. The dating results show that age values are reproducible and steady, total fusion age, step-heating age, plateau age and isochron age are in accord with each other within the error range (2σ). Therefore, we recommend 28.7 Ma as the calibrated age of BT-1. We also discuss the variation in neutron flux gradients of Beijing 49-2 reactor. It was found that the neutron flux gradient varies considerably, and more monitors (standard samples) are needed to fix the trend of variation. The coefficient of the 49-2 reactor that transfers the ratio of production rate of ³⁷Ar_Ca/³⁹Ar_K into Ca/K ratio is 1.78. This is different from that reported earlier, 2.0, which may be caused by the reconstruction of the reactor.     

Investigation of excess argon in ultramafic rocks from the Kola Peninsula by the40Ar/39Ar method

In several xenolithic ultramafic rocks from the Kola Peninsula, including a magnetic separate, abnormally high⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ratios persisted at low and high temperatures. The lowest⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ratio was consistently observed at intermediate temperatures (900–1100°C), indicating an apparent age of 2.8–3.1 b.y.; however, this may not indicate the formation age.The quantity of excess⁴⁰Ar was estimated at each temperature fraction, adopting ages inferred from published Rb-Sr ages or the minimum⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age. Excess⁴⁰Ar is abundantly trapped both in mineral lattices and nonretentive trapping sites, but the trapping sites are different from those of in-situ radiogenic⁴⁰Ar. The high temperature component of excess⁴⁰Ar is considered to represent Ar dissolved during mineral formation in the upper mantle or the lower crust.A correlation between the amount of high temperature excess⁴⁰Ar and³⁶Ar exists for some samples. The⁴⁰Ar_excess/³⁶Ar ratios of the rocks of probable upper mantle or lower crust origin vary from about 10 000 to 35 000, which may suggest large fluctuations of this ratio in the deep interior of the earth. The high value implies that most³⁶Ar was already degassed from the earth's interior at least 2 or 3 b.y. ago.     

40Ar-39Ar age determinations on the Owyhee basalt of the Columbia Plateau

⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar step-heating analyses have been performed on 11 samples of basalt from sites near Owyhee Reservoir of southeastern Oregon, U.S.A. These rocks were extruded during the great flood basalt episode of the Pacific Northwest. The whole-rock points are highly correlated on a plot of⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar versus³⁹Ar/³⁶Ar, corresponding to a common age of the samples of 14.3 ± 0.3 m.y. Inspite of this, individual “plateau” plots of the age versus fraction of³⁹Ar released do not give good plateaux. These age spectra exhibit to varying degrees a common structure in which lower age values are found at higher temperatures. This pattern may result from a closed-system redistribution of the argon isotopes. The usefulness of grinding the basalts in removing a loosely held atmospheric argon component is confirmed.     

40Ar/39Ar age spectrum analysis of detrital microclines from the southern San Joaquin Basin,California: an approach to determining the thermal evolution of sedimentary basins

Detrital microcline grains from sedimentary strata preserve a record of thermal evolution in the temperature range ～ 100° to 200°C which can be revealed by⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age spectrum analysis. Microcline separates from deep drill hole intersections with Eocene to Miocene sediments in the Basin and Tejon Blocks of the southern San Joaquin Valley, California, analysed by the age spectrum approach show radiogenic⁴⁰Ar (⁴⁰Ar*) gradients that record both the slow cooling of the uplifting sediment source ～ 65 Ma ago, and a recent thermal event. This information, in conjunction with the observation of fission track annealing in the coexisting apatites, allows estimation of the temperature-time conditions of this thermal event at about 140°C for ～ 200 ka. Present and paleotemperature data is in accord with heating related to several kilometers of Pleistocene sediment deposition. Heat flow calculations suggest that this recent subsidence has depressed the thermal gradient from about 30°C km^?1 to the present apparent gradient of 24°C km^?1.⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar analysis of detrital microcline crystals yields thermochronological information in the temperature-time range of petroleum maturation and provides this technique with potential as both a useful exploration tool and as a means of probing the fundamental geodynamic processes of basin evolution.     

39Ar-40Ar systematics of two millimeter-sized rock fragments from Mare Crisium

Two small fragments, L24B, a glass-rich agglutinate (1.9 mg) and L24A, a fine-grained lithic fragment (9.4 mg), from the Luna 24 landing site have been neutron irradiated for the purpose of³⁹Ar-⁴⁰Ar dating. A fairly well-defined³⁹Ar-⁴⁰Ar plateau age of 3.65 ± 0.12 AE was found for the larger fragment. After appropriate corrections the composition of the trapped and spallogenic Ar could be deciphered. The evolution of³⁸Ar_sp/³⁷Ar showed that 660 m.y. and 500 m.y. were the most reliable exposure ages for L24A and L24B, respectively. The Ti contents of ≤0.6% determined by gamma-counting prior to the Ar analysis indicate both fragments being associated with the group of low-Ti or even very low-Ti basalts.     

The evolution of excess argon in alpine biotites — A40Ar-39Ar analysis

Alpine biotites containing excess⁴⁰Ar have been analysed by step-heating argon analysis of both neutron irradiated and unirradiated samples. In addition to age spectra the data are discussed in terms of the thermal release of⁴⁰Ar,³⁹Ar,³⁷Ar and³⁶Ar and also displayed on a correlation plot of³⁶Ar/⁴⁰Ar vs.³⁹Ar/⁴⁰Ar which is used to interpret the data and present a model of isotopic evolution during metamorphic cooling. This diagram overcomes misleading complications of isochron plots. The samples exhibit the following argon systematics: (1) flat age spectra for 80–90%³⁹Ar release with anomalously old ages but early gas fractions that approximate the accepted cooling ages; (2) each sample shows decreasing³⁶Ar/⁴⁰Ar with increasing temperature of heating step with three samples having a negative correlation of³⁶Ar/⁴⁰Ar vs.³⁹Ar/⁴⁰Ar and one a positive correlation; (3) there appear to be two³⁶Ar components, one released at high temperatures and correlated with radiogenic⁴⁰Ar and one released at low temperatures which is not correlated with radiogenic⁴⁰Ar; and (4) there is no significant effect of neutron irradiation on the release of⁴⁰Ar and³⁶Ar.Interpretation suggests that these biotites contain a record of the evolution and isotopic composition of ambient argon retained within the metamorphic host rocks during cooling. After incorporation of argon of high⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar another argon component, of atmospheric composition, was retained at lower temperature and argon partial pressures.     

The age of the Mistastin Lake crater,Labrador, Canada

⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age determinations have been carried out on eight samples of melt rocks and one of the maskelynite from Mistastin Lake impact crater, Labrador. The observed⁴⁰Ar^* evolution spectra of the impact melts fall into distinct groups which correlate with petrographic variations. The release patterns of six of the melt rock samples define an age plateau in the range 34–41 m.y.; the other two have complex spectra which indicate incomplete equilibration of inclusions. Four of the samples with well-defined plateaux exhibit a high-temperature sag in their⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ratio similar to that observed in some lunar samples. Maskelynite gives a partially overprinted spectrum which rises monotonically to a final age near 700 m.y., approximately half the age of the country rocks. The data from the melt samples are interpreted as indicating an age of 38 ± 4 m.y. for the Mistastin Lake impact event. Previously, it had been considered that this crater was 202 ± 25 m.y. old.     

40Ar-39Ar and Rb-Sr age determinations on Quaternary volcanic rocks

⁴⁰Ar-³⁹Ar and Rb-Sr ages have been measured on separated minerals from the potassic volcanics of the Roman Comagmatic Region to test the ability of these methods to accurately data Quaternary geological events. The very high K and Rb contents of the Roman magmas present particularly favorable situations in which the very high concentrations of the radioactive nuclides⁴⁰K and⁸⁷Rb result in well resolved in situ enrichments of the daughter isotopes despite the very young ages. Six leucite separates contained Ar with very high bulk40/36 ratios (above 1000) and in which the⁴⁰Ar and the³⁹Ar were very well correlated, yielding well-defined ages averaging3.38±0.08×10⁵ years. Two leucites contained Ar with lower bulk40/36 ratios (～400), and in at least two release steps from these leucites the⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar ratio was significantly lower than atmospheric. Despite the uncertainty in the composition of the trapped component, these two leucites have ages that do not differ significantly from the ages of the other leucites. For the biotites, it was not possible to obtain through stepwise degassing a good separation of in situ radiogenic⁴⁰Ar from trapped⁴⁰Ar and therefore the calculated ages are not as precise as those of the leucites. In three cases the biotite age agrees with the age of the cogenetic leucite, but in the remaining two cases discordant ages are obtained, suggesting caution when using biotites as Quaternary age indicators.Rb-Sr measurements on leucite, biotite, and pyroxene separates hand-picked from each of three tuff samples yielded a dispersion in⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr as large as 16 parts in 10⁴ and⁸⁷Rb/⁸⁶Sr as high as 218 for leucites, and permitted the determination of internal isochron ages. The ages obtained range from3.8±0.2×10⁵to3.3±0.2×10⁵ years and are in good agreement with the⁴⁰Ar-³⁹Ar ages on the leucites. The data for each tuff sample yield a well-defined uniform initial⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr. However, different tuffs show small differences in initial⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr pointing to distinct sources or to assimilation of different materials during the extrusion of the tuffs. These measurements demonstrate the possibility of dating Quaternary materials by both the⁴⁰Ar-³⁹Ar method and the Rb-Sr method. The observation of concordant ages with a precision of a few percent represents a powerful tool in Quaternary stratigraphy.     

Age studies on slates: Applicability of the40Ar/39Ar stepwise outgassing method

Results of⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar stepwise outgassing experiments are reported for six slates, one hornfels and one metasilt-stone from the Lower Paleozoic Meguma Group of Nova Scotia, Canada. The age spectrum of the hornfels and of one slate collected from the vicinity of a granite contact have both been completely reset by the thermal effects of the intrusion. The latter, however, has not produced any recognizable mineralogical modification of the slate. Two samples in the collection contain potassium feldspar, possibly of detrital origin, and both have yielded discordant age spectra which cannot be unambiguously interpreted.Three apparently “clean” slates collected from localities well removed from the effects of the granite batholith have yielded quite well-defined age plateaus at ?415 Ma (revised decay and isotopic constants). The mean total gas⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age or, equivalently, the mean K-Ar age is ?400 Ma. From these data we suggest a minimum value ?400–415 Ma for the time of initiation of the Acadian Orogeny in Nova Scotia which culminated with post-deformational “granitic” intrusion ?370–380 Ma ago.     

Comment on “The July 9 and 23, 1905, Mongolian earthquakes,a surface-wave investigation” by Emile Okal

K-Ar ages have been determined for sulfide minerals for the first time. The occurrence of adequate amounts of potassium-bearing sulfides with ideal compositions K₃Fe₁₀S₁₄ (～10 wt.% K) and KFe₂S₃ (～16 wt.% K) in samples from a mafic alkalic diatreme at Coyote Peak, California, prompted an attempt to date these materials. K₃Fe₁₀S₁₄, a massive mineral with conchoidal fracture, gives an age of 29.4 ± 0.5m.y.(⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar), indistinguishable from the 28.3 ± 0.4m.y.(⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar) and 30.2 ± 1.0m.y.8 (conventional K-Ar) ages obtained for associated phlogopite (8.7 wt.% K). KFe₂S₃, a bladed, fibrous sulfide, gives a younger age, 26.5 ± 0.5m.y.(⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar), presumably owing to Ar loss.     

40Ar-39Ar chronology of isolated phases from Bununu and Malvern howardites

High resolution⁴⁰Ar-³⁹Ar age spectra have been measured on plagioclase and glass from two howardites. Both the plagioclase and glass from the gas-rich Bununu howardite show well-defined age plateaux, yielding distinct ages of 4.42 ± 0.04 and 4.24 ± 0.05 AE, respectively. These age patterns are rather well behaved and are interpreted as representing the distinct times of formation of plagioclase from igneous processes and of glass fragments produced by impact on the meteorite body. The release pattern for the glass from the heavily shocked Malvern howardite is undulating at low and intermediate temperatures but does have a high-temperature plateau. Its age spectrum indicates little apparent diffusion loss, but rather an extensive redistribution of either⁴⁰Ar during the shock event or of³⁹Ar during the neutron irradiation or both. The total K-Ar age of Malvern glass is 3.64 ± 0.04 AE and the high-temperature plateau is 3.73 ± 0.05 AE. The age spectrum of the Malvern plagioclase has an intermediate temperature “plateau” at 3.80 AE that represents 20% of the total⁴⁰Ar content and increases towards a high-temperature plateau at 4.29 ± 0.04 AE containing 26% of the total gas release. It seems likely that the event which formed the Malvern glass also reset part of the plagioclase. The distinct histories observed for the different phases of these howardites are consistent with their formation from a regolith. The present results along with similar young ages for igneous clasts from Kapoeta clearly show that the regoliths were extant on the parent bodies of howardites and that they were subjected to violent impact events at least as recently as 3.7 AE ago.     

Mineral age patterns in ca. 3700 my old rocks from West Greenland

KAr,⁴⁰Ar³⁹Ar and RbSr dates are reported for minerals from the ca. 3700 my-old Amîtsoq and Isua gneisses of the Godthaabsfjord area of West Greenland. KAr dates on biotites and hornblendes range from about 1900 to 3500 my, with hornblendes having a much narrower range (ca. 2250–2750 my) than biotites. One biotite from Isua gives an impossibly high KAr date of 4940 my.⁴⁰Ar³⁹Ar mineral dates are in close agreement with conventional KAr dates over the entire range of apparent age values. The presence of minor amounts of excess argon is observed in the hornblendes, but radiogenic and excess argon in the biotites are completely homogenised and cannot be differentiated.Rb-Sr measurements on biotites are closely concordant and show that all biotites were completely open to diffusion of radiogenic⁸⁷Sr at about 1600–1700 my. This is the first proof of a regional thermal event at this time in the Archaean of West Greenland, although similar dates are well known from the Proterozoic belts to the north and south.The evidence suggests that those KAr biotite dates greater than about 2700–2800 my result from excess radiogenic argon incorporated during a thermal event of about this age or, more probably, during the 1600–1700 my Sr isotope homogenisation event. Scatter of mineral dates below about 2700 my could also be due, at least in part, to overprinting by the 1600–1700 my event.KAr mineral dates and an Rb-Sr mineral isochron from a pegmatite associated with the last major rock-forming event in the Godthaabsfjord area, namely the Qo?rqut granite, indicate an age of emplacement of 2580 ± 30 my.     

Dating young MORB of the Central Indian Ridge (19°S): Unspiked K-Ar technique limitations versus 40Ar/39Ar incremental heating method

We have applied the unspiked K-Ar and the ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar methods to samples precisely collected and localised, on both Central Indian Ridge flanks, to test their effectiveness and reliability when applied to the dating of recent (i.e. less than 1 Ma) MORBs. Twenty six samples) from the sixty five samples collected every ∼500 m up to the Brunhes-Matuyama boundary on both ridge flanks, were selected based on their distance from the ridge axis. Therefore, we can evaluate whether the isotopic ages are a good indicator of the crystallisation age by considering their geographic position with respect to the ridge axis (zero age) and the B/M magnetic boundary. Direct comparison of the isotopic and model ages shows that only 9 out of 26 samples were successfully dated. The GIMNAUT – MORB's test case amply demonstrates that the unspiked K-Ar technique, when applied to submerged volcanic samples, is subject to potentially defective assumptions of trapped atmospheric argon, excess/fractionated argon and extremely sensitive to alteration. Although the unspiked K-Ar technique is theoretically capable to produce high precision ages, the comparison with the ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar techniques reveals that only 15% (i.e. 4 samples out of 26) of the ages obtained here are geologically meaningful. Five of the seven ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar incremental heating experiments provide meaningful ages. Because potential sources of systematic errors such as excess ⁴⁰Ar*, recoil of ³⁹Ar_K and ³⁷Ar_Ca can be identified and because effects of alteration are significantly reduced by the pre-heating of the samples up to 500–600°c, the ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar incremental heating method appears to be the method of choice to date MORBs.     

40Ar/39Ar analyses of phlogopite nodules and phlogopite-bearing peridotites in South African kimberlites

⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar analyses have been made on phlogopite-bearing peridotite nodules from Bultfontein and phlogopite nodules from Du Toitspan, Kimberley area, South Africa. Neither definite plateau nor isochron age could be obtained due to the occurrence of an excess⁴⁰Ar in phlogopite. However, the extrusion age of a phlogopite nodule from Du Toitspan has been estimated to be about 86 m.y. from the combination of the youngest⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age in the intermediate temperature fraction with Rb/Sr age data reported for this area.Excess⁴⁰Ar correlates with K-derived³⁹Ar in some phlogopites suggesting that it is trapped in K- or K-similar sites and has been incorporated during phlogopite formation.The occurrence of large amounts of excess⁴⁰Ar in phlogopite suggests that it was not formed at a shallow depth.     

40Ar/39Ar and U-Th-Pb dating of separated clasts from the Abee E4 chondrite

Determinations of⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar and U-Th-Pb are reported for three clasts from the Abee (E4) enstatite chondrite, which has been the object of extensive consortium investigations. The clasts give⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar plateau ages and/or maximum ages of 4.5 Gy, whereas two of the clasts give average ages of 4.4 Gy. Within the range of 4.4–4.5 Gy these data do not resolve any possible age differences among the three clasts.²⁰⁶Pb measured in these clasts is only ～1.5–2.5% radiogenic, which leads to relatively large uncertainties in the Pb isochron age and in the²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb model ages. The Pb data indicate that the initial²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb was no more than 0.08±0.07% higher than this ratio in Can?on Diablo troilite. The U-Th-Pb data are consistent with the interpretation that initial formation of these clasts occurred 4.58 Gy ago and that the clasts have since remained closed systems, but are contaminated with terrestrial Pb. The⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages could be gas retention ages after clast formation or impact degassing ages. The thermal history of Abee deduced from Ar data appears consistent with that deduced from magnetic data, and suggests that various Abee components experienced separate histories until brecciation no later than 4.4 Gy ago, and experienced no appreciable subsequent heating.     

Identification of excess 40Ar by the 40Ar/39Ar age spectrum technique

⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar incremental heating experiments on igneous plagioclase, biotite, and pyroxene that contain known amounts of excess⁴⁰Ar indicate that saddle-shaped age spectra are diagnostic of excess⁴⁰Ar in igneous minerals as well as in igneous rocks. The minima in the age spectra approach but do not reach the crystallization age. Neither the age spectrum diagram nor the⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar versus³⁹Ar/³⁶Ar isochron diagram reliably reveal the crystallization age in such samples.