Abstract
We report an imaging method of zircon U-Pb dating with NanoSIMS 50L, which overcomes the significant U-Pb fractionation as the pit was sputtered deeper during conventional spot mode analysis and can be applied to irregular small grains or heterogeneous areas of zircon. The U-Pb and Pb-Pb ages can be acquired simultaneously for 2 μm×2 μm (for small grains) or 1 μm×9 μm (for zoned grains), together with Zr, Y and other trace elements distributions. Using zircon M257 as standard, the U-Pb ages of other zircon standards, including Qinghu, Plesovice, Temora and 91500, were measured to (2σ) as 158.8±0.8, 335.9±3.4, 412.0±12 and 1067±12 Ma, respectively, consistent with the recommended values within the analytical uncertainties. Tiny zircon grains in the impact melt breccia of the lunar meteorite SaU 169 were also measured in this study, with a Pb-Pb age of 3912±14 Ma and a U-Pb age of 3917±17 Ma, similar to previous results reported for the same meteorite. The imaging method was also applied to determine U-Pb age of the thin overgrowth rims of Longtan metamorphic zircon, with a Pb-Pb age of 1933±27 Ma and a U-Pb age of 1935±25 Ma, clearly distinct from the Pb-Pb age of 2098±61 Ma and the U-Pb age of 2054±40 Ma for detrital cores.
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U-Pb and Pb-Pb analyses results of the standard zircon Qinghu, Temora, Plesovice and 91500 measured using NanoSIMS imaging method
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Hu, S., Lin, Y., Yang, W. et al. NanoSIMS imaging method of zircon U-Pb dating. Sci. China Earth Sci. 59, 2155–2164 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-016-0010-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-016-0010-3