SPATULA · Sensitive, spatially resolved U-Th dating approach using LA-ICPMS
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2020-07-01 → 2022-06-30
- EU contribution
- €203,149
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF
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Results in brief
Sensitive, spatially resolved U-Th dating approach using LA-ICPMS
a. What is the problem/issue being addressed? U-series dating techniques have been widely employed to determine the timing and evolution of Earth’s geological and environmental processes over the last 800 thousand years. A variety of fields, such as paleoclimatology, ocean circulation, tectonic and seismic process, archeology, and human evolution, have applied this U-Th absolute dating system in particular. Contemporary U-Th dating methods, the solution-based U-Th dating protocols, however, are restricted to a discrete milli-domain (mm) sampling strategy and time-consuming chemical preparation procedures, including dissolution, spiking, extraction and isotope pre-concentration, which are difficult to generate profiles at high spatial resolution. b. Why is it important for society? Laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric (LA-ICPMS) provides the advantage of rapid, in-situ U-Th dating at a spatial resolution less than 100 um. Until today however laser-ablation based U-Th dating is sparsely reported due to the limited sensitivity and precision of LA-ICPMS analyses. This sensitive, spatially U-Th dating approach could improve age profiles with higher spatial resolution, and benefit for better constraining of timing, duration, and the frequency of geological events in the past. This U-Th dating approach has the potential to be applied to a variety of research societies such as paleoclimatology, oceanography, geomagnetics, and archaeology. c. What are the overall objectives? The overall objects of this SPATULA project are: 1) improve the resolution of age assignments from the milli-domain (mm) to micro-domain (μm). The U-Th age model and stalagmite growth can therefore be described more precisely. 2) provide in situ analysis using LA-ICPMS to overcome time-consuming element separation processes requiring hazardous chemicals. 3) apply this μm-domain laser U-Th dating approach to natural stalagmite samples, to reconstruct high resolution age profiles.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
The U-Th dating system is broadly exploited to determine the timing and process of Earth’s geological, environmental, and biotic evolution for materials as young as few years to over the last 800 thousand years (kyrs). Contemporary solution phase U-Th dating protocol using thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) or multi collector-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric (MC-ICPMS) can provide high precision dates with errors of ±1-4‰ (2σ) on ages from 5 to 100s kyr; however, it still restricted by the discrete milli-domain (mm) sampling strategy and the time-consuming chemical preparation procedure.Laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric (LA-ICPMS) could serve the strengths of rapid, in-situ, and high lateral scanning to U-Th dating. Until nowadays laser U-Th dating approach is sparsely reported due to its reduced sensitivity and precision. Here the experience researcher (ER) designs and employs methods by means of a solution-based correction strategy with a jet-interface setup. This new configuration could essentially reduce the uncertainties and enhance the sensitivity significantly. Based on the ER's previous training, he has firm knowledge and skills in conducting high precision carbonate U-Th dating protocol using MC-ICPMS (Shen, Wu et al., Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 2012), and the anlaysis of rare earth elements using LA-ICPMS (Wu et al., Anal. Chim. Acta, 2018). The expected outputs of this SPATULA project are: 1) improve the resolution of age assignments from the milli-domain (mm) to micro-domain (μm). 2) provide in situ analysis using LA-ICPMS to overcome time-consuming element separation processes requiring hazardous chemicals. 3) apply this μm-domain laser U-Th dating approach to tephra-containing stalagmite samples, to reconstruct high resolution volcaican eruption profiles. This sensitive, spatially U-Th dating approach, has the potential to be applied to diverse fields such as oceanograpgy, geomagnetics, and archaeology.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- EIDGENOESSISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE ZUERICH · ZuerichCoordinatorSwitzerland
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union