Investigating the Shallow to Mid‐Depth (>100–300 °C) Continental Crust Evolution with (U‐Th)/He Thermochronology: A Review

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Abstract

Quantifying geological processes has greatly benefited from the development and use of thermochronometric methods over the last fifty years. Among them is the (U‐Th)/He dating method, which is based on the production and retention, within a crystal structure, of radiogenic4He atoms associated with the alpha decay of U, Th and Sm nuclei. While apatite has been the main target of (U‐Th)/He studies focusing on exhumation and burial processes in the upper levels of the continental crust (~50–120 °C), the development of (U‐Th)/He methods for typical phases of igneous and metamorphic rocks (e.g., zircon and titanite) or mafic and ultramafic rocks (e.g., magnetite) over the last two decades has opened up a myriad of geological applications at higher temperatures (>100– 300 °C). Thanks to the understanding of the role of radiation damage in He diffusion and retention for U‐Th‐poor and rich mineral phases, the application of (U‐Th)/He thermochronometry to exhumation processes and continental evolution through deep time is now mainstream. This contribution reviews the (U‐Th)/He thermochronometer principle and the influence of radiation damage in modifying the diffusion behavior. It presents applications of (U‐Th)/He dating to problems in tectonic and surface processes at shallow to middle crustal depths (>100–300 °C). New and promising applications using a combination of methods will stimulate a research avenue in the future.

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APA

Gautheron, C., Hueck, M., Ternois, S., Heller, B., Schwartz, S., Sarda, P., & Tassan‐got, L. (2022, May 1). Investigating the Shallow to Mid‐Depth (>100–300 °C) Continental Crust Evolution with (U‐Th)/He Thermochronology: A Review. Minerals. MDPI. https://doi.org/10.3390/min12050563

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