In Situ Th-230/U-238 Geochronology of Young Volcanic Rocks on Inclusion-Bearing Ilmenite


Date

2022-09

Publication Type

Journal Article

ETH Bibliography

yes

Citations

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Data

Abstract

Precise age determinations of volcanic deposits from the Late Pleistocene and Holocene are fundamental for hazard assessment. Retrieving accurate radiogenic ages typically relies on analysing specific minerals (such as zircon or sanidine), which are in many cases lacking in the deposits. We present a new Th-230-U-238 disequilibrium dating method by LA-ICP-MS for inclusion-bearing ilmenite, and discuss its details and challenges. The technique is tested on ilmenites from the 86.4 +/- 1.1 ka Aso-4 super-eruption, Japan, and from the Lower Pumice (63.1 +/- 4.7 ka) and Upper Pumice (58.4 +/- 2.7 ka) eruptions of Nisyros volcano, Greece. Ilmenites of the Aso-4 eruption produce well-defined global isochrons yielding ilmenite crystallisation ages of 89 +/- 10 ka (2s) and 81 +/- 15 ka (2s). Two-point isochron model ages from the Nisyros eruptions produce youngest population ages of 66.3 +/- 5.7 ka (1s) for the Lower Pumice and 61.2 +/- 4.4 ka (1s) for the Upper Pumice. The age determinations obtained during this study are compatible with data reported from conventional techniques. These results demonstrate the applicability of this new method to date young volcanic deposits in a quick, reproducible way, and without relying on zircon or K-bearing phases.

Publication status

published

Editor

Book title

Volume

46 (3)

Pages / Article No.

465 - 475

Publisher

Wiley

Event

Edition / version

Methods

Software

Geographic location

Date collected

Date created

Subject

U-Th disequilibrium dating; magmatic ilmenite; La-ICP-MS; Aso; Nisyros; geochronology

Organisational unit

03958 - Bachmann, Olivier / Bachmann, Olivier check_circle

Notes

Funding

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