Collaborative Research: Improving the Accuracy and Precision of Monazite and Allanite Geochronology via ID Th-Pb Ages for Reference Materials

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Collaborative Research: Improving the accuracy and precision ofmonazite and allanite geochronology via ID Th-Pb ages for referencematerialsThe principal limitation for obtaining high-precision, accurate standard-based 208Pb/232Th ages from monazite and allanite is the lack of appropriate, well-characterized reference materials. Because both monazite and allanite are compositionally variable and SIMS, LA-ICP-MS incur instrumental mass-dependent fractionation, it is essential to closely match standards with unknowns. This proposal seeks to determine isotope dilution (ID) Th-Pb ages for the Th-rich accessory minerals monazite and allanite. Th-Pb ages currently exist for only one reference material that is commonly used-'554'. Consequently, all standard-based geochronologic measurements require an assumption that Th-Pb and U-Pb ages are equivalent. This assumption is unnecessary and, in many cases, invalid. By obtaining high-precision ID Th-Pb ages for a suite of well-characterized, community-wide reference materials, this research will provide a means of independently calibrating Th-Pb ages for minerals that can be linked to fundamental tectonic processes.Intellectual Merito Eliminates the need to assume concordance among the three decay systems (235U, 238Uand 232Th decay chains) by providing independently verified U-Pb and Th-Pb ages.o Improves precision on age measurements for a chronometer that can be directly linkedto the metamorphic and magmatic history of a terraneo Provides well-characterized standards to the community for high-precision, standardbasedgeochronology.Broader impacts1. This proposed research seeks to address the fundamental aim of the EARTHTIME initiative: "the development of the geochronological techniques necessary to produce temporal constraints with uncertainties approaching 0.1 % of the radioisotopic ages."o A website will be developed that contains the information about the reference materials and the methods for measuring the ID TIMS and ICP-MS ages. This information will be linked to the EARTHTIME website.o An educational module will be developed that can be integrated into the EARTHTIME mission for educating students about understanding geologic time. This module will demonstrate linking pressure, temperature and time histories.2. This project supports two early career scientists-John Cottle (UCSB faculty) and Emily Peterman (Stanford Postdoctoral Fellow). In addition, Peterman is a young female scientist (Ph.D. 2009).3. This study will train undergraduates (UCSB) in laboratory investigations and provide a component of graduate research for graduate students at UCSB and Stanford.4. The results of the proposed research will impact the geochronology community at large:o Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometryo Secondary Ionization Mass Spectrometryo Electron Probe MicroAnalysiso (Laser Ablation) Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry