Professional Documents
Culture Documents
GLENN
Department
of Physics.
DEREK YORK
of Toronto.
Toronto.
Canada
MSS IA7
Abstract
INTRODLCTION
THY< MAJORIU
* Present addro\\:
Llni\er<it\.
Burnahy.
Phy\~cs Department.
Slmon
B C.. Canada VSA IS6
Fraser
are pressure sensitive and so can be used us grobarometers (see Vol. 61 of 9r~t~ic~rt ,Ilir~t~trloyi.~,t for
papers on this topic). These indicators can give maximum temperatures or pressures of processes. but cannot give the time variable. The stable isotope geothermometers
such as the oxygen-isotope
two-mineral
systems are pressure insensitive and can yield the temperatures of crystallization
of phases in igneous rocks
but. as emphasized
by Dovso~ (1973) and FAI.RI.
(1977), they often record equilibrium temperatures
in
metamorphic
rocks that are much below the peak
temperature
of the metamorphism.
Like radiogenic
daughter systems, these two-mineral
oxygen isotope
geothermometers
can remain out of equilibrium
because of slow cooling. In such a situation. it is preferable to calculate the isotope equilibrium temprrature from laboratory calibration curves. and then use
this temperature to deduce a cooling rate from Dodsons formula for closure temperatures.
Our approach with the Ar Ar method is the
reverse of this: to assume a cooling
rate and use
Dodsons formula to calculate an isotopic
closure
temperature. The advantage of the Ar .Ar method.
apart from the insensitivit) of Ar loss rates to pressure (GILEITI and T~JLI.IS. 1977). is that the diffusion
parameters permit this closure temperature to he rtlutinely calculated
from the dating experiments.
H)
using a variety of minerals of differing Ar retentlvities,
we can calculate a geological cooling curve which in
turn enables us to verify our assumed cooling rates.
In principle, this process is also possible nith othrlradiogenic daughter or decay-product
dating methods
such as the Rb Sr and fission-tl-acl\ tcchniclue\.
796
PROCEDURES
Thr sarnplrs
Our selection of samples was motivated by a wish to
resolve the so-called Grenville problem of Precambrian
paleomagnetics (e.g. BKHAN and DUNLOP, 1976). To this
end, we chose samples suitable for dating from the extensive collection made by Buchan and Dunlop. They had
observed that many of the rocks of the Haliburton mafic
intrusions (the Dudmon and Bark Lake dioritic and the
Glamorgan gabbroic-anorthositic
bodies) carried multicomponent magnetizations and that at bSt two of the
three different components could be thermoremanent magnetizations {TRMs). We did not know 4~priori whether an
episodic or slow-cooling (or a combined) thermal history
could have caused the reset TRMs. There were some pegmatitic events in the general area. but a high grade of
regional metamorphic facies (upper amphibolite to granulite) also implied great depths of burial and a consequent
slow-cooling history (MACIXTYREef al., 1967). The actual
times of intrusion of the three mafic bodies were not
known but they preceded the regional metamorphism (e.g.
BUCHANand DUNLOP.1976).
We selected hornblende and biotite because of their
known relative differences in sensitivity to Ar loss (e.g.
DALRYMPLEand LANPHERE.1969), K-feldspar and biotite
because of their potential usefulness as indicators of episodic reheating (BERGER,197% and plagioclase and nepheline because of our relative ignorance of their 4Ar,jAr
characteristics. For sample identification, we use the notation of BUCHANand DUNLOP(1976). For example, 82-149
specifies that sample 149 of the Haliburton coliection is
from site 2 of the Bark Lake diorite. The site locations are
given in BUCHANand DUNLOP(1976). We include general
descriptions of the thin sections of the rocks we &OS? for
dating in an appendix.
For
Ar extractions, the mineral separates i>VQ! pure
generally) were placed in a high purity quartz boat within
a quartz tube that was heated externally by ;f Lindberg
Hevi-Duty furnace capable of reaching 1SOVC with an accuracy of 1C at the thermocouple. We estimate the actual
temperature at the sample to be uncertain bq SC (1~)
below 900C and by 3C (In) above 900C. To avod rapid
quartz sag and large diffusion rates of atmospheric Ar into
the vacuum system, we never heated samples above 1200C
in this system. This was sufficient to outgas 9X- loo,, of the
Ar from biotites and hornbiendes but may have left
1& 157:of the Ar remaining in the feldspars (BEXER and
YORK, 1979). However, this loss is of no consequence for
our purposes since, as is shown later, the most important
information from feldspars is obtained at lower temperatures. The length of the interval at each temperature setting
was about 45min. and in calculating the diffusion toe%cients we made allowances for the small delays in reaching
new temperature settings by increasing the uncertainty in
each step interval [generally 20-60 set (In)].
During the project a number of blank stepwise runs were
made. The volume of Ar (blanks bad an atmospheric
composition) typically varied from a low of 2 x ltt cm
STP at 600C to a high of I x 10-~ncm SIP at 12uoC
with an assigned uncertainty of about 2Ob. For the data
presented below we have not separated system-blank Ar
from other components except through the usual 6Ar correction. Making this separation would not significantly
alter the information contained in the age spectra because
the non-radiogenic component of 40hr was generally less
than 109,
of the total OAr.
~rrudiafiuf~.s
und rejkmce
~i~er~~.~
/f +
Fe
Geothermometry
of (3.603 + 0.03 1)
standard,
having a Ar* concentration
x 10m4 cm3 STP/g (n = 6. la S.E.) and a K concentration
of 7.343 + O.OlS~, (n = 13. la S.E. or standard error of the
mean. This standard was used for hornblendes
B2-149 and
B5-139 (run t). biotites B12-415, and B2-149. K-feldspar
B2-149 and plagioclases
B12-45 and B2-149 (unetchedl
The remaining
samples were analyzed
with hornblende
G14-4 as a standard (see below).
During this project, we prepared a new laboratory
standard with an apparent age also near 1.0 Ga. We selected a
hornblende
from nepheline bearing rocks adjacent to the
Glamorgan
gabbro complex because of their high hornblende content and good optical appearance.
A detailed
thin-section
description
of this hornblende
(Gl4-3) and
the other major constitutents
of the rock is presented
in
the Appendix. Three bottles of this hornblende
were prepared by coning and quartering
after careful and repeated
purification.
The results reported here pertain to battle I.
The isotope dilution
measurements
of Ar*
and flame
photometric
determinations
of K are as follows: Ar* =
(6.279 & 0.048) x lo- cm3 STP:g (II = 8, la S.E.. subsamples 245 mg) and K = 1.2200 + 0.0074,, (PI = 6. 1~
S.E., subsamples
2 100 mg). The resulting average apparent
age, when these values are combined
with the results of
two incremental
heating experiments,
is 995 & 8 (la) Ma.
using the revised decay and isotopic constants
for K
(STEIC;EKand J,&K.
1977). We should point out that we
used only the aforementioned
Ar* and K values in the
age equation (BFRc;~R. 1975) for the data presented below,
giving an age of 993 Ma.
In a comparison
of this hornblende
with a reference
hornblende,
hb3gr. supplied by Zartman
G14-4 gave an
Ar,Ar
age of 1002 Ma (BOTTOMLEY. personal
communication).
agreeing with the conventional
age of Y93 Ma
calculated from the above Ar and K concentrations.
Similarlj. simultaneous
irradiations
of the Obedjiwan
biotite
and hornblende
hb3gr showed excellent agreement (HAhES
and YORK, 1979). The principal
advantage
of hornblende
G14-4 over the biotite is that its lower K content and finer
mesh size (- 70 + 120)ensure smaller subsampling
errors
because 60 mg of the hornblende
provides about the same
volume of Ar* as IOmg of the biotite. Additionally,
the
Ar* and K concentrations
for hornblende
G14-4 art: vcr}
reproducible.
Also. the irradiated
hornblende
is easier to
handle because it develops less static charge than the biotite, reducing mechanical
loss during transfers.
A relatively detailed age spectrum
for this hornblende
(Fig. I) shows it to have an irregular release pattern. Houof the fofu/
ever, as is well known. the reproducibility
joArt and K concentrations
is more important
for a reference mlneral than the presence or absence of a plateau, if
one extracts the Ar in one step.
The nephclinc in thib rock was analyzed to test the concept that this mineral might be a sensitive indicator of 10~
temperature
events (ioRK tf d., 1970) but we can draw no
conclusions
from the irregular age spectrum because of the
possible
presence
of plagiolcasc
inclusions
within
the
sample (see Appendis)
In the calculation
of ages. we used the correction
factors
for interfcrencc
isotopes listed in BERNR (1975). We also
used the decay
and isotopic constants
of STEI(;ER and
JAC;FR (1977) (i,, = 4.962 x 10 yr->
EL, = 0.5X1 r
IO- I yr . K/K = 0.01 167 at. ,). Our analytical errors
in isotopic ratios are quoted as 10 S.E. and have been
propagated
quadratically
from isotopic peak heights extrapolated
to zero-time
conditions
in the digitized
and
automated
mass spec~rometric
analyses. Errors in absolute
volumes in the incremental
heating experiments
should be
valid for within-lab comparisons
but do not include possible hctween-lab
error\.
One point we wish to make about errors in stepwise
797
experiments
heating experiments
is that the analytical error in the mtegrated or total 40*/3YK ratio, and hence total age, is often
smaller than the smallest error for an individual step. This
is especially true for samples that yield plateaus and for
which large numbers of steps with approximately
equal
volumes of Ar are obtained. An example is given later. This
error contraction
effect is potentially
useful for high precision comparison
of relative ages of samples irradiated
together. We mention this effect because it has gone unremarked in the Ar, Ar iiterature.
We have calculated
an isotopic
from Dodsons iterative formula:
closure
temperature
7;
nent method
components.
Alternatively
one could partition either the Ar* or
Ar components using a combined graphical and numcri..
cal bootstrap technique (e.g. PEPIN ct rrl.. 1964) if the presence of two or more components IS suggested in a plot of
cc&me release vs temperature, as for the Haliburton
biotites. However. this approach is inextricably bound up with
assumptions about the behaviour of real samples irl VNC~,C,.
Consequently. as a tirst approximation.
we have used for
plagioclases a relative11 simple method (the multi-compo-
+ See NAPS document No. 03801 for 31 pages of supplementar) material. Order from ASIS/NAPS
c/o Microfiche
Publications. P.O. Box 3515. Grand Central Station, New
York. NY 10017. U.S.A.. remitting $7.00 for microfiche or
$5.(K) for photocopies. Cheques to he made payable to
Microliche Publicutionc.
Table I. Summary
Sums/n
S'FEPS=
E*
AI- rclcacc
RESl L,lX
________.._
Sample a
described
dates
_
Do/a e
x
::0lUWXlt
DATE(M)
Tc("C) f
__
Hornblende
G14-4
(-7o+120)
4.8/4(.05-7.4)
131./10(2.2-18.)
750-960
97+5
472?45
860-1000
83+10
443t107
GZl-113
9.6/9(1.7-16.)
920-1060
(-7C+120)
2.8/6(.48-11.)
1015-1090
15/8(1.2-14.)
980-1090
G16-25
(-70+120)
B12-415
(-12ot150)
82-149
lOM3
548:32
957.617.1
14026
647+48
9/1.-18.
75i-4
442+43
24/6(.48-11.)
940-1030
112t-12
565f105
3.4/4(.05-7.4)
920-980
162+15
659*108
23./9(1.7-16.)
930-1075
14./7(.83-U.)
930-104s
4.6/6(.48-U)
1000-107s
4.9/7(.82-13.)
930-1080
85-139
11.5/7(.83-13.)
930-1080
(-7W120)
3.5/6(.48-11.)
1030-1080
3.8/4(.05-74)
995.6.
598.'7.
705-t56
989.817.5
LUL*I
692t68
988.29.
'W%J-1075(Pi
965.8e7.6
r ci t. 3 i
96it-1200
747t71w
623*36(R)
(-7o+120)
154t6
664*44(R)
995.t8.
178*1?
705*85(R)
98.5.?8.
1000-1150
76+6
449*62
500-700
75f-3
355e32>
1000-1100
57f.6
355t7
90+3
391t27>
Biotite
-_
Dl-190
c-35+70)
BlZ-415
c-14+35)
1.6/5(.22-9.3)
.03/3(.001-5.0)
.2/3(.001-5.0)
600-700
375138
(R)
357+9
Y09.3f7.0
rota1
916.W7.2
t0CaL
Geothermometry
from 40Ar/3Ar
Table
Sampll!
SUMS/n
STEPS '
l--
dating
experiments
(continwdl
Ed
Do/a e
82-149
17./4(.05-7.4)
950-1100
37i4
+105.
(24._2D )
(-14+35)
.1/4(.05-7.4)
550-700
74+1
(.27':;;)xlo11
G4-2.'
-/10(2.2-18.)
see text
216i63 352122
(N
355110
898.0t7.1
905.hih.l
2.4/4(.05-7.4)
1020-1150
.1/3(.001-5.0)
600-700
96.2
Glh-'5
5.8/Y(1.7-16.)
990-1160
63i3
(.27+:;;)x106
39336
c-14+35)
23./4(.05-7.4)
1000-1150
6919
(.26y$x107
419+100
1.4/4(.05-7.4)
550-700
62i3
(.35
322131
3.9/5(.22-9.3)
580-850
45il
1.2/6(.48-Il.)
650-900
47'1
(1.6;:;)x104
22558
2.5/4(.05-7.4)
800-920
5514
(.44'$106
268145
151ilO (R)
(-35+7(l)
Comment R
DATE(W)
Tc(CC) f
CR)
955.Dih.9
K-feldspar
B?-141
?30?18
(R)
8117.3'6.5
(-7o+l?o)
Plagioclase
BZ-14'3
El!-415
(-7O+l.!o)
RS-139
(-7rl+lio)
G?l-113
(-7ci+lJo)
Glh-li
(R)
.86/6(.48-11)
600-850
34-1
+3.2
(8.5
)
-2.3
1.5/6(.05-7.4)
800-920
4213
(.9+2.2)x103
-.6
201'36
3.4/6(.48-11.)
750-1050
3872
+50.
(53.
-26.)
179+21 (R)
6.3/5(.22-9.3)
800-1000
26-2
(.12+.19)
-.07
5.2/6(.48-11.)
720-960
49i2
(.34':;;)xlo5
.28/1(.OrI-5.)
760-840
36<2
+26.
(18._11.)
6.5/8(1.2-14.)
720-1050
3853
+2a3.
(9".-71. )
88136
802.'lrI.
iroo-9511(P)
787.+10.
hhn-1wo(P)
hi?.tl(i.
80~1-1~lI~0(P)
(R)
174141 (R)
7,n-Yhil(P)
540.'?11.
7:0-loin(p)
x511-9iUlP)
liilh
'5./9(1.7-16.)
720-1050
2112
(.:!8y;)x10-1
.96/3(.001-S.)
850-1000
62'6
(.41;+a7
314+72
x59:25.
4.4/6(.48-11.)
650-950
39+1
3
(.49+.39)x10
-.22
19h'lfi
881.
4.?/8(1.2-14.)
650-1000
22'Ll
(.59+::~)xln-'
(-7O+l?o)
614-4
(-7n+l:o)
h5(1-95('
62ill
800
DlSCUSSlON
1020
Reliability
rrmpuxtrrtw
-r---~
-i
980
940
2
z
z
YW
a
-.,
& 860
PLAGIOCLASE
i
:
j:
!
820
780
i
0
05
s___i___d
IO
FRACTION OF 3gArk
Fig. 2. Age spectra for four coexisting minerals irotn tk
Bark Lake dioritc that were irradiated togolhcr
1020 -
960-
HORNBLENDE
900 3
B
I
y
NEPHELINE
840-
780-
720 I
anomalies can lead to incorrect or miskadmg interpretations. C)ur understa~lding is limited by the dit&
culty in isolating the effects on age-spectra of sample
histories or sample parameters
from the effects of
laboratory
variables such as sample pre-treatment,
heating schedules and lattice changes ire VUUH!
With this limitation in mind WC USC the [crm rcliable plateau for any sequence of five or mctrc heating
steps where all dates or all but one agree ~~iirhin 20
error limits. Obviously these errors must exclude contributions from the reference mineral. It is these within-spectra errors that are plotted in our age-spectrum
thagrams. A sequence of dates defines 3 reliable plateau if the single discordant
value represents d relatively small fraction of the total Ar.
Reliable plateaus are defined by the 7M>-YSO.I
interval for plagioclase BZ-14Y. the 710 1050 ( segment for plagioclase G21-113. hiotitcs B12-315 and
G16-25, and the first seven steps shown for hornblende B2-149 (e.g. Fig. 4). Hornblende
K-139 is
a special case to be discussed below. Other reliable
plateaus are those of biotite G4-21, L)l .-I40 and
B2-149, and those of hornblendes
B12-415. G4-X
(excluding step 960 C), G16-25 and the last five steps
of G21-113. K-feldspar B2-149 is considered reliable
for reasons discussed below. Unacceptable
plateaus
are shown by hornblende
G14-4 (Fig. I I and the
650-950C interval for plagioclase Ct4-4.
Geothermometry
X01
980
940 t
E/2-4/5
II
II
0.5
FRACTION
I,
IO
OF 3gArk
f---l---l-
II00
OII0
HORNBLENDE_
--7--T---7--
--r--Y
HORNBLENDE B5 - 139
--
106O-
102o-
98 O-
I(
I(100
0
r
S
a
96 0
2
b
9 60
94 0
I(100
1 -.._i-
.J.-.-L
._.*
FRACTION OF 3sAr
_... __L___
II
t ig. 5. Age spectra for duplicate expcrimsnt~ iru Iloinhlrndc 139 from the Bark Lake diorite. These ++cieirradlated separately using different standards. lhc Isolated
vertical har indicates the appropriate between-spectra .i lcr
erl-ors for each step. The errors in the total or ultograted
apes include the errors in the standards. The lemperaturc
increments for run I were 20 C while those for ruri 1 \vzrc
10 C
s160
/
IOCIO-
96 IO*
G21-//3
9210I
0.5
IO
FRACTION OF 3gArk
hornblendea
F1g. 4 Age spectra fur the fiahburton
(excludmg G14-4). With the exception of sample 27. the
temperature increments were generally ahout 70 C. Notice
the offset certical scales and the hortrontal tirro~~ that
point to the appropriate scalv\.
Hornblende
B5-129 (Fig. 4) IS unusual in that it
shows a staircase pattern. We duplicated this run by
using IOC increments
instead of 70 C increments
over the bulk of the release pattern. We hoped to
thereby distinguish isotopically the staircase pattern
from a acceptable plateau. We also wanted to see the
effect of changing the heating schedule on the correlation of rate parameters
in an Arrhenius diagram
(discussed below).
The results of the duplicate are compared with the
original in Fig. 5. Because different reference minerals
were used, the errors appropriate
for between-sample
comparison
are represented
by the vertical bar and
the errors in the integrated ages. From the smaller
within-spectra
errors it is clear that this staircase pattern is reproducible.
Unfortunately
we could not use
isotopic correlation plots in this comparison because
Geothermometry
from
Ari39Ar
dating
X0
experiments
cal-grained
PLAGIOCLASE
~~
11
11
11
05
FRACTION
1,
1.0
OF 3gAr
804
GLENN
40. PLAGIOCLASE
PLAGIOCLASE
{
i
tar
4. G/4-4
l.O?
1
./
- 800
1
FRACTION
- 1000
-800
80
0
3gArk
IO
0.5
FRACTION
OF
OF 3gAr k
Fig. 7. Age spectra for three of the Haliburton plagloclases. Notice the offset vertical scales and appropriate
horizontal arrows.
heating schedules are not detailed enough to be informative nor can one deduce 39Ar/37Ar ratios from
their data. PlagioclaSes from hypabyssal rocks do not
appear to be useful (STUKAS. 1977). Also, the least
deformed plagioclases (samples 142. 23 and 139) from
the Corsican granodiorite (MALUSKI, 1978) do not
have plateaus in the interval w 70&1oooC as do the
Haliburton samples of this paper. This may be
because of the complicated and poorly understood
late-stage history of the Corsican area. Furthermore
Maluskis samples have higher 39Ar/37Ar ratios in
this temperature interval than at other temperatures.
unlike the Bark Lake samples. Plagioclases from Precambrian dikes have given useful chronological information (HANESand YORK, 1979) but they show the
presence of alteration products (e.g. sericite, saussurite) both optically and in their high 39Ar/37Ar ratios
over the w 700-1oooC interval.
l~~fkrences,from
leaching
experiments
on pluqioclusrs
from Arj3Ar
Geothermometry
dating experiments
ETCHED
---
Gl6-25
NORMAL
ETCHED
- -- f/4/9
0408
2 /6 Ma/
_+191
/I
1
I
II
0.5
FRACTION
4-
i
i
600
NORMAL
PLAGIOCLASE
1800
O-
xo_z
OF
IO
3gArk
2I-
PLAGIOCLASE
IO-
82-149
NORMAL -_19488f9
.-,
I: I:
ETCHED
2 Mc?l
::
:I;,
-- -- f835.999.81
P jl:
.I
IO-
10 -
IO-
/
0
FRACTION
0.5
IO
OF 3gArk
Bark Lake
using differincluded in
steps. The
of HF acid
closure temperatures
The biotites present the strangest pattern in Arrhenius diagrams of all the minerals we have analyzed. It
seems to be typical of these micas that the rate coefficients define two approximately
parallel line segments
that are offset as in Fig. 11. This feature has not been
reported before and the reason for its existence is not
known. It may be that this kink is a manifestation
of
the breakdown of biotites when heated in a vacuum.
It is possible that such a feature could reflect changes
in the interlayer spacing as the water of composition
is driven off.
Whether this speculation is accurate or not, these
biotite patterns seem to provide us with two estimates
of Ar closure temperatures
that. as for Dl-190 in
806
GLENN
&?-I49
H6lE
623 t 36
K-F.7
256 t/8
375 t 38
D/-/PO B/O
__._
{ ~~~i~~
___1
*a
---I
.9
1.0
1000/T,
I.1
-__._._._.
i.2
_.A
ii
PK)
Geothermometry
from Ar?Ar
number of assumptions
that have not been aired in
the literature. Until these differences are reconciled,
we consider the reliable Ar closure temperature
for
biotites in Table 1 to be geologically reasonable. We
emphasize that comparisons
of independent methods
must use the same samples, if possible, because of the
probability that differences in chemical composition
and natural grain size affect mica Ar retentivity.
dating experiments
TL(C)
II00
I I
1000
507
800
900
HORNBLENDE
-5
E35- 139
RUNf/o)
RUN 2 f.I
N5
3.5
664 2 44
705?85
cc0
2
-o -6
-
1000/T,
(OK)
808
The Arrhenius diagram in Fig. I I suggests that lattice disruption begins in the K-feldspar near 950 C irt
LVXUO.
Hence the <9OOY data points are probably
the most suitable for the calculation of closure temperatures. We calculate a temperature for the Bark
Lake K-feldspar of 256 i 18C (? = 5C/Ma) or
230 + 18C (? = OSC,Ma) based on an excellent
linear correlation of five data points (Table I ).
As far as the plagioclases in Figs 6 and 7 are concerned, we show in Table 1 the results of two
approaches to calculating closure temperatures. The
first of these, the one-component approach, involves
treating the data as for the K-feldspar, biotites and
hornblendes and searching for any linear segments in
the Arrhenius diagrams that would correspond to plateaus in the age-spectrum plots. The second method,
the multi-component approach, is to sum the 4nAr*
volumes of only those fractions corresponding, or
nearly so. to the age-spectrum plateau segments. The
diffusion
coefficients
in this multi-component
approach are then calculated and plotted in the usual
way. Although we think this method gives the most
reliable results for reasons outlined here, we mention
the results of the one-component method below and
the indirect support for them.
We prefer the multi-component
approach for
reasons of internal consistency. Only this method
gave a closure temperature for plagioclase B2-149
(225 k 8C, O.SC/Ma), that agrees with the temperature for the coexisting K-feldspar (230 rtr 18C.
O.SC/Ma), as it must because they have concordant
plateaus. With the one-component method. we derive
a temperature of 151 f 10C (OS-C/Ma) for this
plagioclase. In the multi-component
approach, it
makes no difference statistically for this plagioclase
whether we use the 700-950C steps or the 60%950C
steps, even though we can argue that an acceptable
plateau begins with the 7ooC step.
Summary,
Our two ad hoc criteria for a reliable closure temperature are the presence of an acceptable age plateau
over at least five heating steps and a straight line in
an Arrhenius diagram for the same five data. Four
samples exhibited clearly defined age plateaus (biotites B12-415 and G4-22. hornblendes G2 1. 1I3 and
G 16-25) yet had poor linear correlations in Arrhenius
plots. Only one sample (plagioclase Gl4-4) having an
unacceptable plateau showed a good linear correlation in an Arrhenius plot. The remaining unreliable
closure temperatures represent samples that failed to
meet both criteria.
It is possible that the above biotite 812-415 would
have met both criteria had we changed the heating
schedule. since a detailed heating schedule did increase the number of correlating points for biotite
Gl6-25. On the other hand, such a heating routine
increased the scatter in an Arrhenius diagram for bio-
1971)
implies
;I depth
of hurlal
of
Geothermometry
8OC
809
HBDE
BARK LAKE
GLAMORGAN
810
PLAG
DUDfUON
KFS
60C
i?
2
4oc
2oc
1000
900
800
K-Ar
700
600
500
AGE (Ma)
CONCLUSIONS
We have described a method of geothermometry
that yields both time and temperature from 40Ar/39Ar
dating experiments.
This method determines
K-Ar
apparent ages from 40Ar/39Ar age spectra and Ar isotopic closure temperatures
from rate parameters that
are derived routinely in the same experiments
and
which are combined with Dodsons closure temperature theory.
We have applied this technique to different minerals from three basic intrusions within the high-grade
metamorphic
terrane near Haliburton,
Ontario, and
derived a cooling curve. The results are geologically
reasonable,
supporting
our assumptions
and procedures;
however. independent
support from hydrothermal experiments
and fission-track
data is desirable.
Our ad hoc isotopic criteria for the reliability of
calculated Ar closure temperatures
have been tested
u:o
:Ir(/on Dtrlit~cq.I.reeman.
DAI.YKMPI.I G B. and LANPHEHI
age spectra of some undisturhsd
c,hin~.Cconwc~hint. .4<,1rr38, 7 I 7
I lOf+i~ IcI,;
.~,~,~I:
33
./lC!i,70HI&n?lUlt.s
We arc indebted to Professor D J
DVNIX)IJ for providing the samples: to PIx:K KC:YHIIIA for
his meticulous care in mineral
separations.
potassium
analyses and aid with Ar citractions:
to LARKI. SC.HI ITS
for thin-section descriptions of most of the samples. and to
Dr D. c. GREI:N for this thin-section
descriptions
for
sample G 13-4 and his useful discussions. We are grateful to
Professor R. E. J~R~IS for making available the gamma
spectrometry facilities. Support for this research was provided b) a Negotiated Development Grant and a Research
Operating Grant from the National Research Council 01
Canada. Revision of this manuscript has benefited from
suggestinns made by two anonymou\ revicuerc and by Dr
G T~IRUI K
REFERENCES
AI.IIARLIIX. F.. FERAIII G.. KANEOKA I. and ALLIXXI. J. c.
(197X1 Ar-Ar
dating: the importance of K-feldspars
on multimineral data of polyorogenic areas. .I. &o/. 86.
>XI 59x.
BEKC;EK G. W. (1975) Ar .Ar step heating of thermall)
overprinted biotite. hornblende and potassium feldspar
from Eldora. Colorado.
Etrrrll Plnr~c/. St,i. Zxtt. 26.
3x7 30x.
BI:KC;F.KCr. W. and YOKK D. (1981) Ar. Ar dating of thu
Thanet gabbro. Ontario: Looking through the Grenvillian metamorphic veil and implications for paleomagnetism. Ctl~. J. Gcrfll SC,;. 18, 266 773
BERCXK G. W. and YOKh D. (1979) OAr,Ar
dating of
multicomponent
magnetizations
in the Archean ShelIe!
Lake granite. northwc:stern Ontarm
CLIU. J. Eurrh SCI.
16, 1933-1941.
BERWR G. W., YORI< D. and Duhi.or
I>. J. (1979) C:alibration of Grenvillian
paleopole!, by Ar,Ar
dating.
Nuturt~277. 4& 4%
B~RNEK R. A. and HOLI)I.N G. R. JK. (lY77) Mcchamsm of
feldspar weathering: some observational
evidence. GPOlogy 5, 369%372.
BUCHA& K. L. and Dr NLW D. J. llY76) Paleomagnetism ol
the Haliburton
intrusions:
superimposed
magnetizations. metamorphism and tectonics in the late Precambrian. J. Geophys. Rcs. 81. 2951 2967.
BUCIZAX K. L., BERC;EKG. W.. MCWILLIAMS M. 0.. YORK
D. and DUNLOP D. J. (iY77) Thermal
overprinting
01
natural remanent magnetization and K/Ar ages in metamorphic rocks. J. Geonqj~. Gro&cfr.. 29, 401 410.
CHESWCIRTH W. (1971) Metamorphic
conditions in a part
of the Haliburton
Highlands
of Ontario.
L.ithos 4.
219-22).
CLARK S. P. JK. and Jh;c;t~ E. (1969) Denudation
rate in
the Alps from geochronologic and heat flow data. .4n1. .I
Sci. 267. I I43 I 160.
DALLMFIIR
R. D. (1975) Incremental
A@Ar
ages ol
biotitc and hornblende
from retrograded
basement
gneisses of the Southern Blue Ridge: their bearing on the
.age of Paleozoic
metamorphism.
:lrn. .I. St,i. 275.
444-460.
DALLMCYEW R. D. (1978) 4Ar!3Ar
incremental-release
ages of hornblende and biotite across the Georgia Inner
Piedmont: their bearing on Late Paleozoic-Early
Mesozoic tectono-thermal
histnrl. .41t1 .I. %I. 278, 124 l4Y.
Geothermometry
from Ar,jgAr
Stclnnesl.
~~I/J\,.x
itI C;cw/wrvi,~fr~~
Noraa!
pp. II9 422.
leds
A.
D.
md
Co.wocher~ri.s-
Brunfeld
and
E.
APPENDIX
Thiwvtaiorl
c0))lf)le~lr.s
h~~~~~tlrot~~o~~~l~i~ qrrrtruhr.
rLww
-0.2 x 0.3
to
from
Biotitc- grain
sire
ranges
.kO.X )/ 3 mm: brown: altered partly to chlorite through
xreen hiotite: some magnetite.
hematite and quart7 inclus~ons: some evidence-of grain fracturing.
Hornblende
maximum <i/-c 1 I x 0.5 mm; a hit of green
hornblende
exists: borne alteration
to chlorite plus magnetlte: magnetite inclusions.
largest grain 2 3.5 x 5 mm, others
K-feldspar
_orthoclase:
1 I X to 2 3 this ~17~:some small degree of sericitation
011 some graln\:
the odd grain has a bit of quartz inelusion.
maximum
size 23.5 x 5
Plag~~>clase calcic andesine;
mm: ;I ;maII hlr of ycricitc production:
no inclusions.
undeformed
dating
812-4
XII
experiments
15: hypidiomorphic
qw~u/ur
rtta~t~c~
Biotite--up
to 3 x 4mm in size: mostl!
brown, some
altered to green. a little of this further altered to chlorite
with magnetite and perhaps sphene. Inclusion5 of quartz.
magnetite, calcite. plagioclase or reolites in \omr grain\:
grains are well formed. a small hit of bcndmg
\\lth
straining ohserbed in 2V.
up to I r I mm m SILC: all green. lncluslonb
Hornblende
of quartz and magnetite:
no alteration
be!und grecnlng;
undeformed.
Plagioclase-andesine:
up to X x 3 mm in \Ire: II,, 111.
cluslons: undeformed:
some cericitc production
ES-/3Y.-
/1~,pitlr~,,tlorphi~
qrurfrtlur
rt\rw
Poikilltic
texture: hornblende
biotite is light brown. unaltered,
well twinned.
Gl4-4
A nepheline-hornblende
plagioclasc
gneiss with subidioblastic amphibole
prisms in a granoblastic
matrix.
Amphibole-hastingsitic;
average length 17 mm: osscntially no inclusions. contains no relic proxcnc: comprlsc\
1.35 0 of the rock.
slight aIteratIon to
Nepheline --> 35,, of rock; ubiquitous
prey green gieseckite; inclusions of plagloclasr.
apatite.
amphibole
and rare microline are a common fcaturc.
Plagioclase= 20,, of the rock: well twinned: occurs a:,
fresh subidioblastic
or rounded interstitial
grains up to
1 mm in diameter;
calcic oligiocla,e:
a fe\\ patcheh of
nepheline are the only inclusions.
GI6--75: /r!pidionlorphic,
yrur7ulur
rt~ww
ftwirt
Biotite
up to I x 0.3 mm; mostly green. some brown.
magnetite inclusions: a little chlorite: undclhrmcd.
G-71-1 13; pa,lidrortlorphic,
qrm~~lur
rp\rm
Hornblende
-up to 2 x 0.75 mm: all green: \;omc magnetite inclusions; no alteration;
undeformed
Plagioclasesodic labradorite:
up to 3 r 2 mm: some
quartz and muscocite
inclusions.
u Ilttle \erlcitiration:
undeformed.