U-Pb geochronology of calcite-mineralized faults: absolute timing of rift-related fault events on the northeast Atlantic margin
Constraining the timing of brittle faulting is critical in understanding crustal deformation and fluid flow, but many regional-scale fault systems lack readily available techniques to provide absolute chronological information. Calcite mineralization occurs in crustal faults in many geological setti...
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Geological Society of America
2016
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ftnerc:oai:nora.nerc.ac.uk:513914 2023-05-15T16:10:53+02:00 U-Pb geochronology of calcite-mineralized faults: absolute timing of rift-related fault events on the northeast Atlantic margin Roberts, Nick M.W. Walker, Richard J. 2016-07 text http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/513914/ https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/513914/1/Roberts%2526Walker_Geology_author.pdf https://doi.org/10.1130/G37868.1 en eng Geological Society of America https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/513914/1/Roberts%2526Walker_Geology_author.pdf Roberts, Nick M.W.; Walker, Richard J. 2016 U-Pb geochronology of calcite-mineralized faults: absolute timing of rift-related fault events on the northeast Atlantic margin. Geology, 44 (7). 531-534. https://doi.org/10.1130/G37868.1 <https://doi.org/10.1130/G37868.1> Earth Sciences Publication - Article PeerReviewed 2016 ftnerc https://doi.org/10.1130/G37868.1 2023-02-04T19:43:14Z Constraining the timing of brittle faulting is critical in understanding crustal deformation and fluid flow, but many regional-scale fault systems lack readily available techniques to provide absolute chronological information. Calcite mineralization occurs in crustal faults in many geological settings and can be suitable for U-Pb geochronology. This application has remained underutilized because traditional bulk dissolution techniques require uncommonly high U concentration. Because U and Pb are distributed heterogeneously throughout calcite crystals, high-spatial-resolution sampling techniques can target domains with high U and variable U/Pb ratios. Here we present a novel application of in-situ laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) to basaltic fault rock geochronology in the Faroe Islands, northeast Atlantic margin. Faults that are kinematically linked to deformation associated with continental break-up were targeted. Acquired ages for fault events range from mid-Eocene to mid-Miocene and are therefore consistently younger than the regional early Eocene onset of ocean spreading, highlighting protracted brittle deformation within the newly developed continental margin. Calcite geochronology from LA-ICP-MS U-Pb analysis represents an important and novel method to constrain the absolute timing of fault and fluid-flow events. Article in Journal/Newspaper Faroe Islands Northeast Atlantic Natural Environment Research Council: NERC Open Research Archive Faroe Islands Geology 44 7 531 534 |
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Open Polar |
collection |
Natural Environment Research Council: NERC Open Research Archive |
op_collection_id |
ftnerc |
language |
English |
topic |
Earth Sciences |
spellingShingle |
Earth Sciences Roberts, Nick M.W. Walker, Richard J. U-Pb geochronology of calcite-mineralized faults: absolute timing of rift-related fault events on the northeast Atlantic margin |
topic_facet |
Earth Sciences |
description |
Constraining the timing of brittle faulting is critical in understanding crustal deformation and fluid flow, but many regional-scale fault systems lack readily available techniques to provide absolute chronological information. Calcite mineralization occurs in crustal faults in many geological settings and can be suitable for U-Pb geochronology. This application has remained underutilized because traditional bulk dissolution techniques require uncommonly high U concentration. Because U and Pb are distributed heterogeneously throughout calcite crystals, high-spatial-resolution sampling techniques can target domains with high U and variable U/Pb ratios. Here we present a novel application of in-situ laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) to basaltic fault rock geochronology in the Faroe Islands, northeast Atlantic margin. Faults that are kinematically linked to deformation associated with continental break-up were targeted. Acquired ages for fault events range from mid-Eocene to mid-Miocene and are therefore consistently younger than the regional early Eocene onset of ocean spreading, highlighting protracted brittle deformation within the newly developed continental margin. Calcite geochronology from LA-ICP-MS U-Pb analysis represents an important and novel method to constrain the absolute timing of fault and fluid-flow events. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Roberts, Nick M.W. Walker, Richard J. |
author_facet |
Roberts, Nick M.W. Walker, Richard J. |
author_sort |
Roberts, Nick M.W. |
title |
U-Pb geochronology of calcite-mineralized faults: absolute timing of rift-related fault events on the northeast Atlantic margin |
title_short |
U-Pb geochronology of calcite-mineralized faults: absolute timing of rift-related fault events on the northeast Atlantic margin |
title_full |
U-Pb geochronology of calcite-mineralized faults: absolute timing of rift-related fault events on the northeast Atlantic margin |
title_fullStr |
U-Pb geochronology of calcite-mineralized faults: absolute timing of rift-related fault events on the northeast Atlantic margin |
title_full_unstemmed |
U-Pb geochronology of calcite-mineralized faults: absolute timing of rift-related fault events on the northeast Atlantic margin |
title_sort |
u-pb geochronology of calcite-mineralized faults: absolute timing of rift-related fault events on the northeast atlantic margin |
publisher |
Geological Society of America |
publishDate |
2016 |
url |
http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/513914/ https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/513914/1/Roberts%2526Walker_Geology_author.pdf https://doi.org/10.1130/G37868.1 |
geographic |
Faroe Islands |
geographic_facet |
Faroe Islands |
genre |
Faroe Islands Northeast Atlantic |
genre_facet |
Faroe Islands Northeast Atlantic |
op_relation |
https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/513914/1/Roberts%2526Walker_Geology_author.pdf Roberts, Nick M.W.; Walker, Richard J. 2016 U-Pb geochronology of calcite-mineralized faults: absolute timing of rift-related fault events on the northeast Atlantic margin. Geology, 44 (7). 531-534. https://doi.org/10.1130/G37868.1 <https://doi.org/10.1130/G37868.1> |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1130/G37868.1 |
container_title |
Geology |
container_volume |
44 |
container_issue |
7 |
container_start_page |
531 |
op_container_end_page |
534 |
_version_ |
1765996014609629184 |