Articles | Volume 6, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/gchron-6-89-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/gchron-6-89-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| Highlight paper
| 
27 Mar 2024
Research article | Highlight paper |
| 27 Mar 2024
| 27 Mar 2024
Minimizing the effects of Pb loss in detrital and igneous U–Pb zircon geochronology by CA-LA-ICP-MS
Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, United States of America
Michael P. Eddy
Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, United States of America
Federico Moreno
Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, United States of America
Mauricio Ibañez-Mejia
Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, United States of America
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We test whether bulk chemical abrasion (CA) of detrital zircon before analysis can reduce the effects of Pb loss and improve maximum depositional age (MDA) estimates. We compare estimates from untreated and CA-treated zircon with tandem-dated high-precision MDA estimates. Our results show that CA-treated zircon produce MDA estimates that more closely overlap with their high-precision estimates, suggesting that the bulk CA approach helps remediate Pb loss and improves accuracy of MDA estimations.
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This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Geochronology (GChron).
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We test whether bulk chemical abrasion (CA) of detrital zircon before analysis can reduce the effects of Pb loss and improve maximum depositional age (MDA) estimates. We compare estimates from untreated and CA-treated zircon with tandem-dated high-precision MDA estimates. Our results show that CA-treated zircon produce MDA estimates that more closely overlap with their high-precision estimates, suggesting that the bulk CA approach helps remediate Pb loss and improves accuracy of MDA estimations.
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Editorial statement
This study is an important contribution to high precision geochronology. The study highlights the criteria for selecting the most suitable zircon material and it analytical treatment to obtain precise and accurate mineral ages.
This study is an important contribution to high precision geochronology. The study highlights...
Short summary
Chemical abrasion (CA) is a technique that reduces or eliminates the effects of Pb loss in zircon U–Pb geochronology. However, CA has yet to be applied to large-n detrital zircon (DZ) analyses. We show that CA does not negatively impact or systematically bias U–Pb dates, improves the resolution of age populations defined by 206Pb/238U dates, and increases the percentage of concordant analyses in age populations defined by 207Pb/206Pb dates.
Chemical abrasion (CA) is a technique that reduces or eliminates the effects of Pb loss in...
