Challenges of dating quartz OSL samples with saturated grains: Lessons from single-grain analyses of low dose-rate samples from Victoria Falls,Zambia

A suite of samples from an extensive aeolian sandscarp near Victoria Falls, Zambia was used to explore several different methods of calculating optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) ages that account for the effects of saturated quartz grains. Beta dose rate heterogeneity and early OSL signal saturation of the samples exacerbate the impact that saturated grains have on the equivalent dose (D_e) values calculated. Saturated grains that cannot calculate D_e values are often rejected but the minimum burial dose information they contain can have a significant impact on a sample's average D_e value. This study compares multiple techniques for combining luminescence measurements that enables inclusion of this data and their sensitivity to a criterion that rejects grains with early OSL signal saturation. The methods tested are found to have different advantages and disadvantages, but reasonable agreement between the D_e values they calculate suggests that including data from saturated grains makes a more significant difference to D_e values calculated than the specific method used to combine the data.     

Testing the applicability of standardised growth curves (SGCs) for OSL signals of quartz grains from the Yangtze Delta,China

The standardised growth curve (SGC) technique has the potential to save instrument time for equivalent dose (D_e) determination when applying single-aliquot regenerative-dose (SAR) protocol during optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) measurements. In this study, we test the applicability of two commonly used SGC procedures for OSL signals of quartz grains from aqueous deposits of the Yangtze Delta in China, which have been reported for weak luminescence signals and suffering from partial bleaching. Multiple silt-sized and sand-sized fractions of quartz samples from eight cores are used to construct SGCs by test dose standardisation (TD-SGC) and least-squares normalisation (LS-SGC), respectively. Three strategies, i.e. region-specific (SGC_R), region with core-specific (SGC_R + C) and core-specific (SGC_C), are adopted to categorise these normalised data into different SGC datasets. The large variability of dose response signals is substantially reduced by the SGC procedures for most of these datasets. Hence, common SGCs for a variety of samples from the Yangtze Delta can be established, irrespective of their distinctive particle sizes and luminescence characteristics. The D_e values are then estimated using both TD-SGC and LS-SGC procedures for samples from a specific core. Comparing to the full SAR protocol, the TD-SGC procedure roughly gives reproducible D_e estimates lower than ∼100 Gy while the LS-SGC procedure derives generally consistent D_e estimates of up to ∼230 Gy. Although LS-SGC_C and LS-SGC_R + C procedures replicate the most consistent D_e values, the LS-SGC_R procedure performs better in efficiency with a slightly less accuracy. In addition to careful comparison of LS-SGC and full SAR procedures, we suggest that a synchronous ratio derived by the chosen regenerative dose and its response signal for re-normalisation can be used to predict the LS-SGC D_e reliability on samples from similar sedimentary environments.     

Test of high sampling density OSL dating of aeolian samples from the south margin of the Tengger Desert using the global standardised growth curve (gSGC) method

Chronostratigraphic records in the drylands of north China provide basic archives to reveal the dynamic connections between climate changes and the behaviour of aeolian systems. However, the interpretation of aeolian chronostratigraphy is not straightforward and may be associated with significant uncertainty due to a number of external and localised forces. Taking into account this complexity of aeolian systems, excluding preservation and sampling bias from palaeoclimatic signals requires that the interpretation of chronostratigraphic records be based on as many dates from as many sites as possible. Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating provides a direct way to date aeolian sediments. However, the determination of equivalent dose (D_e) using the commonly applied single-aliquot regenerative dose (SAR) protocol is relatively time-consuming for samples with burial doses exceeding 50 or 100 Gy.In this study, the global standardised growth curve (gSGC) method is applied to multi-grain aliquots of coarse quartz from various sites covering a wide region of the south margin of the Tengger Desert in north China to rapidly determine D_e for a large number of aliquots and samples. The large between-aliquot variability in the shape of the dose response curve (DRC) is significantly reduced using a least-squares normalisation procedure. The results of a leave-one-out cross-validation (LOOCV) protocol demonstrates that D_e values determined using the gSGC and SAR methods are very consistent with each other up to at least 200 Gy and 400 Gy, for the 90–150 μm and 63–90 μm fractions, respectively. It suggests that the gSGC protocol can be used as an efficient procedure for D_e determination of a large number of aeolian samples from multiple sites. This in turn provides a better constraint for the interpretation of Late Quaternary aeolian chronostratigraphic records in drylands of north China.     

Using microstructures and TitaniQ thermobarometry of quartz sheared around garnet porphyroclasts to evaluate microstructural evolution and constrain an Alpine Fault Zone geotherm

Interpretations of deformation processes within ductile shear zones are often based on the characterisation of microstructures preserved in exhumed rocks. However, exhumed microstructures provide only a snapshot of the closing stages of deformation and we need ways of understanding how microstructures change through time and at what rate this occurs. To address this problem, we study optical microstructures and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) data from samples of quartz layers deflected around garnet porphyroclasts (which generate local stress and strain rate perturbations) during mylonitic deformation in the Alpine Fault Zone of New Zealand.During shearing around rigid garnet porphyroclasts, quartz undergoes grain size reduction in response to locally increased stresses, while c-axes reveal increasing components of rhomb <a> and prism <a> slip, reflecting a local increase in shear strain and strain rate. TitaniQ thermobarometry and quartz microstructures suggest a rather narrow range of recorded quartz deformation temperatures around 450–500 °C, which we propose reflects the cessation of grain boundary migration driven deformation. Given that temperatures well above the brittle–ductile transition for quartz (∼350 °C) are preserved, we anticipate that rapid cooling and exhumation must have occurred from the 500 °C isotherm. Ultimately, we propose a modified geotherm for the central Alpine Fault Zone hanging wall, which raises the 500 °C isotherm to 11 km depth, near the brittle–ductile transition. Our updated Alpine Fault Zone geotherm implies a hotter and weaker middle to lower crust than previously proposed.     

The effects of quartz recrystallization and reaction on weak phase interconnection,strain localization and evolution of microstructure

We conducted axial compression and general shear experiments, at T = 900 °C and P = 1.5 GPa, on samples of banded iron formation (BIF) and synthetic aggregates of quartz, hematite and magnetite to investigate how dynamic recrystallization of quartz promotes strain localization, and the role of weak second phases (oxides) on the rheology and microstructural evolution of the aggregates. Experiments showed strain localization into oxide rich layers, and that the oxide content and oxide distribution are key factors for the strength of the aggregate. Only 2–10 wt.% hematite leads to pronounced weakening and increasing hematite content above ∼10% has only a minor additional effect. Where oxide grains are dispersed, the initial strength contrast with quartz induces stress concentrations at their tips, promoting high stress recrystallization-accommodated dislocation creep of quartz. Fine recrystallized quartz reacts with oxide, forming trails of fine reaction product (ferrosilite/fayalite) leading to the interconnection/percolation of a weaker matrix. The strength contrast between the quartz framework and these fine-grained trails promotes strain localization into micro-shear zones, inducing drastic strain weakening. Thus dynamic recrystallization of quartz promotes syn-deformational reactions leading to a microstructurally-controlled evolution of phase strength contrast. It results in a rheologic transition from load-bearing framework to a matrix-controlled rheology, with transition from S–C′ to S–C fabric with increasing strain.     

河南小秦岭石英脉型金矿床工业矿体构造定位规律及其机制

河南小秦岭地区广泛发育含金石脉型金矿床,主要工业脉依产状分为近东西向南倾及近南北向东倾两组,脉内工业矿体构造定位规律明显。研究表明,近东西向矿脉内工业矿体平面上主要产于控矿断裂走向东西方向段,剖面上产于断裂倾角较部位,在三维空间范围内工业矿体总体具向不仙太展布规律;而近南北向矿脉内工业矿体主要爱断裂走向变化影响,平面上多产于断裂走向段,且在三维空间范围无明显侧伏现象。了后结合控矿断裂产状,空间形态     

脉金矿床深部成矿远景预测评价的石英热爆裂特征填图法

研究表明,文峪金矿床无矿、贫金与矿体石英脉其热爆裂特征在起爆温度、爆裂温度范围、热爆曲线形态主爆峰值等方面均存在明为差异,可作为石英脉含矿性评价的重要标志。根据石英热爆裂参数,对５０５及５３０脉局部地段开展了填图研究。圈定了具不同类爆裂特征的石英分布范围,据此平价了其深部成矿远景,其结果对同类金矿床预测评价工作具有重要的方法学意义。     

Investigating the potential of HCl-only treated samples using range-finder OSL dating

Rapid sample preparation and measurement protocols for optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating have been investigated as a method of increasing the throughput of samples (e.g. Roberts et al. 2009). Here, we investigate the potential of dating samples treated using only hydrochloric acid (HCl) for providing accurate range-finder ages for quartz. The equivalent dose (D_e) is underestimated for older samples using a standard single-aliquot regenerative-dose (SAR) protocol, but measurement of the post-IR OSL signal (e.g. Roberts and Wintle, 2003) provides D_e estimates within 15% of the ‘target fully prepared D_e’ for two-thirds of samples. The application of a standardised growth curve (SGC) is also investigated. For these dune samples, the most efficient preparation and measurement procedure from which accurate D_e estimates can be obtained is treatment with HCl-only, measurement of the natural and regenerative post-IR OSL signal, and calculation using a region-independent SGC. A slightly longer protocol incorporating an additional preparation stage of heavy liquid density separation can be used to improve D_e estimates in samples where feldspar-contamination is thought to be particularly problematic. In practice, these time savings of days to weeks in the preparation and measurement protocols mean that a large number of samples can first be rapidly treated with HCl, the post-IR blue OSL signal measured using a shortened double-SAR protocol, and D_e calculated by applying an independent SGC before then deciding which samples require full preparation and measurement, rather than the inefficiency of committing time and resources to all samples if this is unnecessary for the context of a particular suite of samples. The potential of this rapid preparation and measurement protocol is discussed in relation to sand dune dating studies.     

石英尾砂对濠河中、下游沉积物磁学性质的影响其环境意义

为监测石英尾砂对濠河沉积物的影响,采用环境磁学方法进行研究.在濠河中、下游采集了三条典型沉积物剖面,通过详细的岩石磁学参数与SiO2质量分数(w(SiOz)) 测量,结果表明濠河中、下游沉积物中的主要磁性矿物是磁铁矿.三条典型沉积物剖面在纵向上按磁性参数曲线的变化特征均可分成四个磁性层,第二、第三、第四层沉积物受石英尾...     

南岭东段大金山钨锡多金属矿床大坳矿段垂向分带规律浅析

南岭东段大金山钨锡多金属矿大坳矿段是典型的石英脉型矿床,含矿石英脉具有近地表以钨锡矿化为主,而深部以钼矿化为主的垂向分带规律,且在岩体与地层接触界面附近发育一组与接触面近平行的含钼石英脉。大坳矿段钨锡钼的矿化呈现出上钨锡下钼的分带规律。理论上黑钨矿、锡石通常为相对高温的矿物,一般应发育于相对靠近岩体的高温环境,而辉钼矿为相对低温的矿物,似乎应发育于相对远离岩体的低温环境,初步分析后认为,该矿段的逆向分带特征主要由钨、锡与钼之间不同的地球化学亲和性造成的。