U-Pb Geochronology
LA-ICPMS has become commonly used for U-(Th-)Pb dating of zircon and other accessory minerals (monazite, baddeleyite, ¦) for studies of sedimentary provenance using separated detrital grains and of magmatic and metamorphic crystallization using grain mounts or thin sections.
The good spatial resolution of LA-ICPMS is a particularly useful tool for resolving ages in grains with inherited cores and metamorphic overgrowths in complex populations.
Data evaluation is done with iolite which contains a down-hole fractionation correction function. Data quality is assured by analyzing several secondary zircon standards.
Characterization of grains prior to LA-ICPMS analyses by cathodoluminescence (CL) is strongly recommended to identify the presence of zoning, overgrowths and inclusions.
For more information, contact Dr. Sebastian Kommescher