We present a new data analysis workflow for thermochronological data based on plots of radiogenic daughter vs. radioactive parent concentration. The daughter–parent relationship helps to identify the sources of age variation. Our workflow classifies the daughter–parent relationship and provides further suggestions, e.g., if a dataset can be described by a sample age and which type of sample age to report. We also introduce Incaplot, which is software for creating daughter–parent plots.

Cosmogenic nuclide exposure dating is an exceptional tool for reconstructing glacier histories, but reconstructions based on common target nuclides (e.g., ¹⁰Be) can be costly and time-consuming to generate. Here, we present a cost-effective proof-of-concept ²¹Ne exposure age chronology from Lassen Volcanic National Park, CA, USA, that broadly agrees with nearby ¹⁰Be chronologies but at lower precision.

We performed a statistical analysis of high-precision U–Pb zircon age distributions. This reveals that volcanic and porphyry zircon age distributions are skewed to younger ages, whereas plutonic age distributions are skewed to older ages. We show that this is caused  by truncation of zircon crystallisation by magma evacuation rather than differences in magmatic flux. Our contribution has key implications for modelling of magma dynamics and eruption ages using zircon age distributions.

RA138 is a new reference material for U–Pb dating of carbonate samples via laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. RA138 exhibits variable U–Pb ratios and consistent U content, resulting in a precise isochron with low uncertainty. Isotope dilution thermal ionization mass spectrometry analyses fix a reference age of 321.99 ± 0.65 Ma. This research advances our ability to date carbonate samples accurately, providing insights into geological processes and historical timelines.

The age of some geological materials can be estimated from the ratio of certain radiogenic "daughter" isotopes to their radioactive "parent". However, in many cases, the age estimation process is complicated by the presence of an inherited component of non-radiogenic daughter isotopes. This paper presents an improved algorithm to estimate the radiogenic and non-radiogenic components, either separately or jointly.

We apply luminescence dating of feldspars to establish a geochronological framework for the sequence of accretionary hillslope deposition at Jojosi, which contains important archaeological artefacts. We test and evaluate four different dose models and their applicability to single-grain and multi-grain data sets containing up to 67 % saturated grains. Our results constrain erosional and depositional processes from 100–700 ka and human occupation of the area in early MIS 5 and late MIS 6.

We fill a spatial data gap in the ice sheet retreat history of the Laurentide Ice Sheet after the Last Glacial Maximum and investigate a hypothesis that the ice sheet re-advanced into western New York, USA, at ~13 ka. With radiocarbon and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating, we find that ice began retreating from its maximum extent after 20 ka, but glacial ice persisted in glacial landforms until ~15–14 ka when they finally stabilized. We find no evidence of a re-advance at ~13 ka.

We have discovered a new way of measuring the three-dimensional distribution of radioactive elements in individual crystals by shining a very bright light on apatite crystals at the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory. This allows us to learn about the rates and timing of geologic processes and to help resolve problems that previously were unsolvable because we had no way to make this type of measurement.

This paper describes how krypton isotopes produced by nuclear fission can be used to determine the age of microscopic particles of used nuclear fuel. This is potentially useful for international safeguard applications aimed at tracking and identifying nuclear materials, as well as geoscience applications involving dating post-1950s sediments or understanding environmental transport of nuclear materials.

The multiple-diffusion domain (MDD) model quantifies the temperature dependence of noble gas diffusivity in minerals. However, current methods for tuning MDD parameters can yield biased results, leading to underestimates of sample temperatures through geologic time. Our "MDD Tool Kit" software optimizes all MDD parameters simultaneously, overcoming these biases. We then apply this software to a previously published ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dataset (Wong, 2023) to showcase its efficacy.

We present a pioneering method for high-precision U–Pb dating of individual growth zones in zircon. These micrometer zones in single grains can record key geological processes from magma priming prior to eruptions to planetary formation, yet dating them at high precision has so far been technically challenging. Our method employs two cutting-edge microbeam techniques to microsample these growth zones for high-precision dating, allowing us to tackle a number of outstanding research questions.

Marine sediments are excellent archives for reconstructing past changes in climate and ocean circulation. Yet, dating uncertainties, particularly during the 20th century, pose major challenges. Here we propose a novel chronostratigraphic approach that uses anthropogenic signals, such as the oceanic ¹³C Suess effect and spheroidal carbonaceous fly-ash particles, to reduce age model uncertainties in high-resolution marine archives over the 20th century. 

Sedimentary rocks are typically dated indirectly, by comparing the fossil content of basins with the geological timescale. In this study, we employed an absolute dating approach to date 19\,Myr old sediments in the Paris Basin, using uranium–lead dating of calcite nodules associated with soil formation. The precision of our new ages enable more accurate comparisons (independent of their fossil contents) between the Paris Basin and other basins of similar age.

The (U–Th–Sm) / He dating method helps understand the cooling history of rocks. Synthetic modelling experiments were conducted to explore factors affecting in situ vs. whole-grain (U–Th) / He dates. In situ dates are often 30 % older than whole-grain dates, whereas very rapid cooling makes helium loss negligible, resulting in similar whole-grain and in situ dates. In addition, in situ data can reveal cooling histories even from a single grain by measuring helium distributions.

Dating the roots of plate boundaries is essential for understanding geologic processes, but geochemical limitations, particularly in young mafic rocks, make this challenging. Advancements in mass spectrometry now enable high-resolution analysis of micro-domains. We assess these limitations by dating rocks from Syros. Multi-phase mineral analysis improves age uncertainty 6-fold. We emphasize the importance of the local geologic context and propose strategies to mitigate uncertainties.

Sediment generation on hillslopes and transport through river networks are complex processes that influence landscape evolution. In this study, we compiled sand from 766 river basins and measured its subtle radioactivity to unravel timelines of sediment routing around the world. With these data, we empirically confirm that sediment from large lowland basins in tectonically stable regions typically experiences long periods of burial, while sediment moves rapidly through small upland basins.

We study the use of zircons as dosimeters using modern techniques, highlighting their advantages such as time-invariant dose rates. We explore the correlation between zircon geochemistry and luminescence properties, observe fast zircon optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) bleaching rates, and assess the potential of auto-regeneration. Low OSL sensitivities require combining natural OSL and auto-regenerated thermoluminescence (TL), with the potential to enhance age accuracy and precision.

Radiocarbon serves as a powerful dating tool, but the calibration of marine radiocarbon dates presents significant challenges because the whole surface ocean cannot be represented by a single calibration curve. Here we use climate model outputs and data to assess a novel method for developing regional marine calibration curves. Our results are encouraging and point to a way forward for solving the marine radiocarbon age calibration problem without relying on model simulations of the past.

We present the first new image-based study to reveal how choices made by different analysts affect the results obtained by fission-track analysis. Participants analyzed an identical image dataset with varying grain quality. Experienced analysts tend to select lower numbers of unsuitable grains and conduct lower numbers of invalid length measurements. Fission-track studies need image data repositories, teaching modules, guidelines, an open science culture, and new approaches for calibration.

A stand-alone data analysis application for Th/U dating on multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometers features a Python-based algorithm with a graphical user interface. It handles data treatment, corrections, age calculus, and error estimation and supports various detector layouts including Faraday and electron multiplier detectors. Key features include reproducibility, user-friendly reanalysis, and automated data storage. A case study demonstrates the software’s performance.

Decay of U to Pb in baddeleyite is used for dating mafic rocks, but some daughter Pb atoms can be ejected out of the crystal, resulting in ages that seem too young. Atom probe tomography was used to map U and Pb atoms in 3D within baddeleyite crystals and estimate the average distance that Pb atoms are displaced by recoil. This allows us to test the relationship between crystal size and apparent age. There is also evidence for clustering of U atoms, inviting more work on how this may occur.

Goethite is one of the most common Fe-(oxy)hydroxide minerals that is formed during hydrolyzation of rocks, implying it is a desired mineral for dating various surface and subsurface geological processes. Nowadays (U–Th) / He dating of goethite is widely used in geochronological studies. Here, in the example of goethite from the Chukchi Borderland, we introduce a new, simple methodological approach for accurate (U–Th) / He dating of goethite.

Cosmogenic nuclides, such as ¹⁰Be, are rare isotopes produced in rocks when exposed at Earth's surface and are valuable for understanding surface processes and landscape evolution. However, ¹⁰Be is usually measured in quartz minerals. Here we present advances in efficiently extracting and measuring ¹⁰Be in the pyroxene mineral. These measurements expand the use of ¹⁰Be as a dating tool for new rock types and provide opportunities to understand landscape processes in areas that lack quartz.

We present an improved workflow for extracting and measuring chlorine isotopes in rocks and minerals. Experiments on seven geologic samples demonstrate that our workflow provides reliable results while offering several distinct advantages over traditional methods. Most notably, our workflow reduces the amount of isotopically enriched chlorine spike used per rock sample by up to 95 %, which will allow researchers to analyze more samples using their existing laboratory supplies.

OCTOPUS v2.3 updates CRN Denudation, adding 1311 new river basins to the CRN Global and CRN Australia collections, totalling 5611 basins with recalculated beryllium-10 denudation rates and 561 with aluminium-26 rates. New fields include basin centroid latitude, effective atmospheric pressure, glacier extent, and quartz-bearing lithology percentages, improving data quality and interoperability with online erosion calculators.

Understanding how volcanic landscapes evolve through time is important for constraining the role volcanism plays in driving variations in geography, climate, and ocean circulation. A powerful tool for understanding the chronologic history of a terrain is detrital geochronology. However, traditional detrital geochronology is restricted to felsic minerals. Here we build upon methods for determining the timing of mafic volcanic terrain using argon geochronology on grains of Icelandic sand.

This article presents a non-destructive method for studying laminated sediments with X-ray micro-computed tomography (μCT). It aims to study the possibility of using μCT as an analytical tool to analyse varved sediments in the context of paleoclimatic studies. As a result, µCT offers the possibility of doing fast analysis and constitutes a powerful tool to improve the quality of results through the access of a 3D view, allowing for choosing the most representative part of a varved record.

This study explores quartz veins in Germany's Rursee area, formed during the Variscan Orogeny and later reactivated by tectonic activity in the Jurassic–Cretaceous period. Using advanced isotopic dating techniques, it examines how these veins influenced fluid flow and quartz recrystallization. By tackling the challenges of dating fluid activity, this research offers new insights into argon gas degassing in quartz minerals.

We use a method called cosmogenic nuclide dating on bedrock surfaces and moraine boulders to determine the relative length of time an alpine glacier was larger or smaller than its current extent over the past 15 000 years. We also discuss several important limitations to this method. This method gives information on the duration of past ice advances and is useful in areas without other materials that can be dated.

In this contribution, we demonstrate in situ monazite lutetium–hafnium dating and compare results with uranium–lead dating. We present data from monazite reference materials and complex samples to demonstrate the viability of this method. We show that in situ lutetium–hafnium dating of monazite can resolve multiple age populations and may find use in scenarios where the uranium–lead system has been compromised.

The equatorial Pacific is an important region that helps determine Earth's climate. This work presents new age models for two sediment core sites located in that region, spanning the last 280 kyr. Our age models are based on new radiocarbon dates and oxygen isotope measurements. We also use the oxygen isotope data to infer changes in sea surface salinity patterns, finding evidence for a change in the position of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) on glacial and interglacial timescales.

The timing of an ancient gravity slide that originated in the Marysvale volcanic field (Utah) is constrained using ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating of pseudotachylyte, a friction-induced glass that is generated during slide movement, and the volcanic tuffs that were displaced by the slide and those that overly the slide mass. Our results suggest that the Sevier gravity slide occurred at 25.25 Ma. The removal of such a large volume of material likely allowed for the eruption of the Antimony Tuff at 25.19 Ma. 

Cosmogenic nuclide geochronology requires accurately scaling production rates with altitude. The energy spectrum of cosmic radiation changes with altitude, and reactions that are sensitive to different energies may have different scaling behavior. Here, we model the altitude scaling of ³⁶Cl production from Fe and evaluate this model against calibration data. The data are broadly consistent with the prediction of larger-altitude scaling factors for ³⁶Cl from Fe than for other reactions.