Fission-Track Dating and Geologic Annealing of Fission Tracks

Abstract

Fission-track dating is one of the newest methods that geologists have to help them determine the ages of minerals and natural glasses. Fission tracks are stable over different temperature intervals in different minerals and glasses,and by dating several different minerals present in a rock it is possible to obtain a better understanding of its thermal history. This dating method, used in conjunction with other dating methods, is a powerful tool for the geologist as he tries to reconstruct the geologic history of a region.