Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
William R. Guenthner
Summary: Radiation damage plays a crucial role in controlling He diffusion in zircon, leading to correlations between (U-Th)/He dates and effective uranium concentration. The integration of alpha damage annealing kinetics into the ZRDAAM model shows that lower temperatures result in slightly younger model dates, while higher uranium concentrations lead to older dates. These differences are most pronounced in thermal histories with extended periods at low temperatures.
GEOCHEMISTRY GEOPHYSICS GEOSYSTEMS
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Wei Xu, Yongshui Zhou, Jiong Zhang, Yi Li
Summary: In this study, new apatite fission track (AFT) and (U-Th)/He ages were used to reconstruct the thermal history of the Uliastai Sag in the northern Erlian Basin. The analysis of sandstone samples from boreholes showed that AFT ages ranged from 30-90 Ma, apatite (U-Th)/He ages ranged from 2 to 30 Ma, and zircon (U-Th)/He ages ranged from 40 to 160 Ma. The time-temperature paths revealed the subsidence, cooling/exhumation, and stability of the Uliastai Sag during different geological periods. The tectonic evolution and volcanic activities in the Erlian Basin may be attributed to complex mantle dynamics.
JOURNAL OF ASIAN EARTH SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Maytal Sadeh-Raz, Haviv Itai, Vaks Anton, Mason Andrew, Elisha Bar, Bar-Matthews Mira, Ayalon Avner
Summary: In this study, the retentivity of aragonite to helium is explored by comparing (U-Th)/He ages to independent age constraints provided by U/Th and U-Pb dating. Aragonite speleothems from Botovskaya cave in Siberia and Soreq cave in Israel are utilized, and the retentivity of the samples is examined using petrographic thin sections and thermal models. The obtained (U-Th)/He ages are found to be statistically identical to independent age constraints, indicating that aragonite can retain helium for millions of years at surface temperatures of 0-20 degrees C. The results suggest the feasibility of aragonite (U-Th)/He geochronology for samples held at near surface temperatures, even with small grain sizes.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
R. M. Flowers, P. K. Zeitler, M. Danisik, P. W. Reiners, C. Gautheron, R. A. Ketcham, J. R. Metcalf, D. F. Stockli, E. Enkelmann, R. W. Brown
Summary: The field of (U-Th)/He geochronology and thermochronology has experienced significant growth over the past 25 years. However, there is currently a lack of universally agreed upon protocols for reporting data and uncertainties. This study aims to address these issues and provides recommendations to enhance the reliability and cross-laboratory comparison of (U-Th)/He data.
GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA BULLETIN
(2022)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Scott Jess, Eva Enkelmann, William A. Matthews
Summary: The timing of surface uplift in the Appalachian Mountains has been a topic of controversy. This study aims to resolve the exhumation history of the region using detrital laser ablation apatite (U-Th-Sm)/He dating. Results show a majority of Cretaceous dates, indicating a lack of significant Cenozoic exhumation. These findings have implications for understanding surface uplift and landscape evolution.
EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Alice Recanati, Nistor Grozavu, Younes Bennani, Cecile Gautheron, Yves Missenard
Summary: This study investigates the impact of various parameters on apatite (U Th Sm)/He (AHe) thermochronological dates using advanced data mining techniques. By excluding the influence of other parameters on helium retention, it is concluded that the chemistry and crystal dimensions of apatite do not significantly affect helium retention or AHe date dispersion. The research suggests that machine learning has the potential to correct errors or detect anomalies in predicting AHe dates.
EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS
(2021)
Review
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Cecile Gautheron, Mathias Hueck, Sebastien Ternois, Beatrix Heller, Stephane Schwartz, Philippe Sarda, Laurent Tassan-Got
Summary: The development and application of (U-Th)/He dating method has greatly improved the understanding of geological processes such as exhumation and burial in the continental crust, as well as continental evolution. Recent advancements in the method have expanded its range of applications to higher temperature geological problems.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Weibin Zhang, Fei Wang, Lin Wu, Jingnan Shan, Liekun Yang, Wenbei Shi, Xiwei Xu
Summary: Tectonics and climate are two competitive factors in shaping landforms. This study investigates the accelerated exhumation process in Taibai Mountain and identifies two stages of accelerated exhumation occurring at approximately 52-46 Ma and 24-19 Ma. These events are influenced by tectonic forces and climate change.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Rachel E. Havranek, Rebecca M. Flowers
Summary: The study analyzed zircon (U-Th)/He(ZHe) data from Proterozoic basement samples in the Front Range of Colorado, revealing the thermal history of the ancient crust. It found that the northern part of the range had higher burial temperatures during the Late Cretaceous to Eocene, while the central and southern regions showed older sedimentary characteristics.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Antonio Said Webbe Sales, Airton Natanael Coelho Dias, Sandro Guedes, Takahiro Tagami, Adriana de Oliveira Delgado-Silva, Renato Fernandes Cantao, Vinicius de Queiros Pereira
Summary: The annealing kinetics of fission tracks in zircon have a significant impact on the interpretation of zircon fission track age and the inference of thermal histories. A study comparing annealing kinetics of freshly induced fission tracks and spontaneous fission tracks in zircon revealed that previously annealed zircons show more resistance to annealing during the initial stages. However, both types of fission tracks exhibit similar annealing kinetics under advanced annealing conditions.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Fadel Bassal, Jerome Roques, Marianna Corre, Fabrice Brunet, Richard Ketcham, Stephane Schwartz, Laurent Tassan-Got, Cecile Gautheron
Summary: The discovery of He retentivity in magnetite has allowed the use of magnetite (U-Th)/He method as a tool for dating the exhumation of mafic and ultramafic rocks and magnetite crystallization during serpentinization. Theoretical investigations on He diffusion in magnetite reveal that vacancies and radiation damage strongly control the behavior of He retention, even at low damage doses. This has implications for the interpretation of (U-Th)/He thermochronometry using magnetite.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Lin Wu, Jie An, Fei Wang, Liekun Yang, Xiaoming Shen, Zhiyong Zhang, Chao Huang, Rong Ren, Bo Liu, Wenbei Shi, Yinzhi Wang
Summary: The in situ laser (U-Th)/He and U-Pb double dating technique using zircon has been proven to be a powerful tool for sedimentary provenance studies. The recently developed laser microanalysis technique offers advantages such as higher spatial resolution and improved safety. A new natural zircon reference material, SA01, has been reported for in situ (U-Th)/He and U-Pb double dating, which showed consistent results with traditional single-crystal laser fusion He determination and U-Th isotope dilution.
JOURNAL OF ANALYTICAL ATOMIC SPECTROMETRY
(2023)
Article
Geology
Kyle P. Larson, John M. Cottle, Alfredo Camacho, Stephen Piercey, Djordje Grujic
Summary: The Khumbu region in Nepal is home to large leucogranite bodies that crystallized around 19 and 17 million years ago, with significant inherited age components. The rapid cooling of these leucogranites may have a genetic relationship with extension processes, as indicated by the timing of motion along the Qomolangma detachment. Cooling after argon closure was slower and the rapid cooling phase may have been ephemeral.
INTERNATIONAL GEOLOGY REVIEW
(2022)
Article
Geology
Remziye Akdogan, Istvan Dunkl, Aral I. Okay, Xiumian Hu, Gultekin Topuz
Summary: Apatite fission-track and (U-Th)/He ages from Carboniferous to Eocene siliciclastic rocks in the Istanbul Zone of NW Turkey suggest three major deformation and uplift/exhumation phases. These phases are attributed to orogeny, accretion of oceanic plateaus, and closure of oceanic domains in the region.
INTERNATIONAL GEOLOGY REVIEW
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Jian Chang, Xin Yang, Nansheng Qiu, Kyoungwon Min, Chenxing Li, Huili Li, Dan Li
Summary: This study provides a new strategy for thermal history reconstruction of the Tarim Basin using zircon (U-Th)/He thermochronology, revealing the complex and long-term thermal histories in different regions and clarifying the thermal evolution process of the ancient strata in the Tarim Basin.
JOURNAL OF ASIAN EARTH SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Charlotte Fillon, Frederic Mouthereau, Sylvain Calassou, Raphael Pik, Nicolas Bellahsen, Cecile Gautheron, Daniel Stockli, Stephanie Brichau, Norman Daril, Margaux Mouchene, Peter van der Beek
Summary: A Late Miocene exhumation phase was revealed in the western Pyrenees, with contrasting thermal histories and a focused exhumation domain identified. The exhumation event of around 10 million years ago is related to the modern normal faulting regime and inherited crustal characteristics from the Mesozoic rift evolution of the northern Pyrenees. The study also highlights the transportation of eroded sediments offshore in the Bay of Biscay instead of accumulation in the Piedmont region.
JOURNAL OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY
(2021)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Johan Yans, Michele Verhaert, Cecile Gautheron, Pierre-Olivier Antoine, Bechir Moussi, Augustin Dekoninck, Sophie Decree, Hedi-Ridha Chaftar, Nouri Hatira, Christian Dupuis, Rosella Pinna-Jamme, Fakher Jamoussi
Summary: The study in the mining district of Nefza-Sejnane in Tunisia obtained (U-Th)/He ages for the first time, highlighting significant weathering events during the late Tortonian and late Pleistocene. These events were likely influenced by wet climate and regional exhumation. The findings refine the understanding of polymetallic mineralization and clay deposits in the district, indicating the impact of meteoric fluids circulation during the late Cenozoic.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Marie C. Genge, Massimiliano Zattin, Elisa Savignano, Marta Franchini, Cecile Gautheron, Victor A. Ramos, Stefano Mazzoli
Summary: In cordilleran-type orogens, subduction geometry significantly influences the tectonic behavior of the overriding plate. This study in northern Patagonia reveals the burial and exhumation history of the overriding plate, highlighting differences in exhumation patterns between the Late Cretaceous and Neogene periods, underscoring the crucial role of inter-plate coupling associated with shallow subduction configurations in plate-scale deformation.
GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA BULLETIN
(2021)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Beatrix M. Heller, Silvana Bressan Riffel, Thierry Allard, Guillaume Morin, Jean-Yves Roig, Renaud Coueffe, Geoffrey Aertgeerts, Alexis Derycke, Claire Ansart, Rosella Pinna-Jamme, Cecile Gautheron
Summary: The dynamics of tropical weathering through time and its association with climatic and geodynamic forcing in the formation of laterite and its long-term evolution are studied. The study focuses on lateritic-bauxitic duricrusts from Kaw mountain in French Guiana and investigates their mineralogy, geochemistry, and (U-Th)/He geochronology. The results reveal the heterogeneity in the formation and evolution of duricrust through processes of dissolution and (re)precipitation of Fe (oxyhydr)oxides. The intensification of weathering and shift towards bauxitic conditions since the end of the Miocene are indicated by the dissolution and (re)precipitation of Fe minerals, Al-substitution in goethite, and the overall enrichment in Th. The study proposes a model of lateritization since at least 30 Ma and bauxitization since the late Miocene, providing new insights into the timescale and intensity of weathering in the region.
GEOCHIMICA ET COSMOCHIMICA ACTA
(2022)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Benjamin Gerard, Xavier Robert, Djordje Grujic, Cecile Gautheron, Laurence Audin, Matthias Bernet, Melanie Balvay
Summary: In this study, new zircon (U-Th)/He (ZHe) ages and zircon fission track (ZFT) ages were analyzed from an age-elevation profile in Machu Picchu, Peru. The ZFT data showed older ages compared to other thermochronological data, while the ZHe data interestingly showed ages similar to apatite (U-Th)/He (AHe). It was proposed that He retention in zircon is linked to the damage dose, with a closure temperature that varies with alpha-dose. The study suggests that the closure temperature of ZHe at low alpha-dose ranges from 6 x 10(15) to 4 x 10(16) alpha/g, and is lower than previously thought. These findings strengthen previous geological conclusions and highlight a cooling rate at Machu Picchu that is approximately twice as important as deduced from AHe and apatite fission track data alone.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Benjamin Gerard, Xavier Robert, Laurence Audin, Cecile Gautheron, Matthias Bernet
Summary: The Apatite (U-Th)/He and apatite fission-track (AFT) thermochronology provide important information about the thermal evolution of the upper crust and can help distinguish between different exhumation mechanisms. In this study, these methods were applied to extract the thermal evolution of the upper crust in the Abancay Deflection. The obtained data allows exploration of crust evolution from the late-Eocene to the Quaternary.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
R. M. Flowers, P. K. Zeitler, M. Danisik, P. W. Reiners, C. Gautheron, R. A. Ketcham, J. R. Metcalf, D. F. Stockli, E. Enkelmann, R. W. Brown
Summary: The field of (U-Th)/He geochronology and thermochronology has experienced significant growth over the past 25 years. However, there is currently a lack of universally agreed upon protocols for reporting data and uncertainties. This study aims to address these issues and provides recommendations to enhance the reliability and cross-laboratory comparison of (U-Th)/He data.
GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA BULLETIN
(2022)
Article
Geography, Physical
Cecile Gautheron, Andre O. Sawakuchi, Marcio F. dos Santos Albuquerque, Cristiana Cabriolu, Mauricio Parra, Camilla C. Ribas, Fabiano N. Pupim, Stephane Schwartz, Andrea K. Kern, Sebastian Gomez, Renato P. de Almeida, Adriana M. C. Horbe, Frederic Haurine, Serge Miska, Julius Nouet, Nathaniel Findling, Silvana Bressan Riffel, Rosella Pinna-Jamme
Summary: This study investigates the interplay between flooded and non-flooded environments in central Amazonia through the analysis of iron oxides precipitated within weathering profiles on ancient fluvial terraces. The findings reveal major climatic shifts, landscape changes, and the emergence of a biogeographic barrier in central Amazonia during the Cenozoic.
GLOBAL AND PLANETARY CHANGE
(2022)
Article
Geography, Physical
Marilia Prado Freire, Ana Maria Goes, Thomas Rich Fairchild, Cecile Gautheron, Mauricio Parra, Fabiano Nascimento Pupim, Dailson Jose Bertassoli Junior, Leandro Melo de Sousa, Gelvam Andre Hartmann, Rosella Pinna-Jamme, Andre Oliveira Sawakuchi
Summary: This study examined the sub-recent ferruginous crusts in the Xingu River in the Amazon Basin, revealing abundant filamentous microbial molds and casts in the ironstone, suggesting a role of bioinduction/bioinfluence in ironstone precipitation. The Quaternary ironstones in the Xingu River are the first evidence of ferruginous microbialites in a modern freshwater system in South America, providing clues to the river's recent history.
QUATERNARY RESEARCH
(2022)
Review
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Cecile Gautheron, Mathias Hueck, Sebastien Ternois, Beatrix Heller, Stephane Schwartz, Philippe Sarda, Laurent Tassan-Got
Summary: The development and application of (U-Th)/He dating method has greatly improved the understanding of geological processes such as exhumation and burial in the continental crust, as well as continental evolution. Recent advancements in the method have expanded its range of applications to higher temperature geological problems.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Fadel Bassal, Jerome Roques, Marianna Corre, Fabrice Brunet, Richard Ketcham, Stephane Schwartz, Laurent Tassan-Got, Cecile Gautheron
Summary: The discovery of He retentivity in magnetite has allowed the use of magnetite (U-Th)/He method as a tool for dating the exhumation of mafic and ultramafic rocks and magnetite crystallization during serpentinization. Theoretical investigations on He diffusion in magnetite reveal that vacancies and radiation damage strongly control the behavior of He retention, even at low damage doses. This has implications for the interpretation of (U-Th)/He thermochronometry using magnetite.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
C. Ansart, C. Quantin, D. Calmels, T. Allard, J. Y. Roig, R. Coueffe, B. Heller, R. Pinna-Jamme, J. Nouet, S. Reguer, D. Vantelon, C. Gautheron
Summary: This study focuses on the development of lateritic and bauxitic duricrusts over the Paleoproterozoic Greenstone Belt in the Brownsberg, Suriname. Geochronological, mineralogical, and geochemical analyses provide insights into the formation history, ages, and environmental evolution of these duricrusts, revealing a complex and long-lasting weathering history in the region.
FRONTIERS IN EARTH SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Michele Verhaert, Cecile Gautheron, Augustin Dekoninck, Torsten Vennemann, Rosella Pinna-Jamme, Abdellah Mouttaqi, Johan Yans
Summary: The timing and composition of ore deposit formation in the Imini karst-hosted Mn district in Morocco were examined. Two generations of goethite were identified, and their formation is related to the early Atlas doming and compressional events in the Atlas tectonism. The mineralizing fluid is meteoric-derived but enriched in O-18 due to interactions with the host rock or mixing with surface water.
Article
Mineralogy
Karina P. P. Marques, Thierry Allard, Cecile Gautheron, Benoit Baptiste, Rosella Pinna-Jamme, Guillaume Morin, Ludovic Delbes, Pablo Vidal-Torrado
Summary: Interpreting the ages of supergene mineralogical phases in laterite is complex due to the polycrystalline mixtures and different crystalization epochs. This study proposes a methodology for performing detailed mineralogical analysis of hematite and goethite single grains prior to their dating using the (U-Th)/He method. Using X-ray diffraction patterns obtained from XRD_rotat and XRD_synch, the XRD_rotat approach can be validated for analyzing undisturbed grains and subsequent dating.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF MINERALOGY
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
R. M. Flowers, R. A. Ketcham, E. Enkelmann, C. Gautheron, P. W. Reiners, J. R. Metcalf, M. Danisik, D. F. Stockli, R. W. Brown
Summary: The (U-Th)/He dating technique is widely used in various Earth science research fields. Though interpreting the data can be challenging, this method has great potential in providing detailed thermal history information. This article offers suggestions for data evaluation, summarizes the current state of statistical characterization of data sets, and emphasizes the importance of transparency in reporting assumptions and steps taken during data interpretation. Furthermore, the complexity of setting up thermal history models is discussed, highlighting the need for careful consideration of different geologic and chronologic information.
GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA BULLETIN
(2022)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Zhen-Min Ge, Xiao-Long Huang, Wei Xie, Tobias W. Hofig, Fan Yang, Yang Yu, S. Khogenkumar Singh
Summary: The mantle source composition of the nascent oceanic crust in the central part of the Gulf of California has been investigated using basaltic glass samples. These samples show trace element patterns similar to enriched mid-ocean ridge basalts, suggesting that the nascent oceanic crust in the Guaymas Basin might be generated through partial melting of a depleted mantle source metasomatized by subducted slab materials.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Jean-Michel Brazier, Katja E. Goetschl, Martin Dietzel, Vasileios Mavromatis
Summary: This study estimated the distribution coefficient of Zn2+ between calcite/aragonite and reactive fluids and found that the growth rate strongly influences D-Zn(2+) in both minerals. Additionally, a linear correlation was found between D-Zn(2+) and the saturation degree of the reactive fluid.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Ming Lei, Michele Lustrino, Jifeng Xu, Zhiqiang Kang, Zhengfu Guo, Jianlin Chen
Summary: This study presents a comprehensive geochronological, mineralogical, and geochemical analysis of olivine leucitites in the Maiga area of southern Tibet, suggesting that these rocks originate from a carbonated peridotite mantle source and highlighting the possibility of carbonates being recycled deep into the mantle during continental subduction.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Yuntao Ye, Xiaomei Wang, Huajian Wang, Haifeng Fan, Zhigang Chen, Qingjun Guo, Ziteng Wang, Chaodong Wu, Donald E. Canfield, Shuichang Zhang
Summary: Phosphorus is an essential element for life and its cycle in the ocean is closely connected with the carbon and oxygen cycles. The study of phosphate oxygen isotopes can provide insights into various reactions related to phosphorus. By analyzing carbonate fluorapatite samples from the Mesoproterozoic Era in North China, it was found that the oxygen isotope values were lower compared to modern samples, indicating a warmer climate during that time period and a potential reason for the scarcity of phosphorite.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Vincent Busigny, Oanez Lebeau, Didier Jezeduel, Carine Chaduteau, Sean Crowe, Magali Ader
Summary: This study conducted high-precision Mo isotope research on hydrothermal metal sulfides from a porphyry copper deposit in Southwest China and found that different stages of mineralization have distinct Mo isotope compositions, providing valuable insights into the behavior of Mo isotopes in magmatic-hydrothermal systems.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Min Ji, Xiao-Ying Gao, Yong-Fei Zheng, Bing Gong
Summary: The study examines the anatectic mechanisms in the Himalayan orogen, finding that pressure and temperature control the reaction, while water content mainly affects the solid-phase composition. Dehydration and hydration melting likely occur at different depths in the crust. This research provides important insights into the melting processes in collisional orogens.