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    Lecture 12: Radioactivity

    Questions

    How and why do nuclei decay?

    How do we use nuclear decay to tell time? What is the evidence for presence of now extinct

    radionuclides in the early solar system?

    How much do you really need to know about secularequilibrium and the U-series?

    Tools

    First-order ordinary differential equations

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    Modes of decay

    A nucleus will be radioactive if by decaying it can lower

    the overall mass, leading to larger (negative) nuclearbinding energy Yet another manifestation of the 2nd Law of thermodynamics

    Nuclei can spontaneously transform to lower mass nucleiby one of five processes

    -decay

    -decay positron emission

    electron capture

    spontaneous fission

    Each process transforms a radioactive parent nucleus into

    one or more daughter nuclei.

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    -decayEmission of an -particle or 4He nucleus (2 neutrons, 2 protons)

    The parent decreases its massnumber by 4, atomic number by 2.

    Example: 238U -> 234Th + 4He

    Mass-energy budget:238U 238.0508 amu234Th 234.04364He 4.00260

    mass defect 0.0046 amu

    = 6.86x10-13

    J/decay= 1.74x1012 J/kg 238U= 7.3 kilotons/kg

    This is the preferred decay mode of nuclei heavier than 209Biwith a proton/neutron ratio along the valley of stability

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    -decayEmission of an electron (and an antineutrino) during

    conversion of a neutron into a proton

    The mass number does not change,the atomic number increases by 1.

    Example: 87Rb -> 87Sr + e + Mass-energy budget:87Rb 86.909186 amu87Sr 86.908882

    mass defect 0.0003 amu= 4.5x10-14 J/decay= 3.0x1011 J/kg 87Rb= 1.3 kilotons/kg

    This is the preferred decay mode of nuclei with excessneutrons compared to the valley of stability

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    -decay and electron captureEmission of a positron (and a neutrino) orcapture of an inner-

    shell electron during conversion of a proton into a neutron

    The mass number does not change,the atomic number decreases by 1.

    Examples: 40K -> 40Ar + e+ + 50V+ e -> 50Ti +

    +

    In positron emission, most energy isliberated by remote matter-antimatterannihilation. In electron capture, a gamma

    ray carries off the excess energy.

    These are the preferred decay modes of nuclei with excess

    protons compared to the valley of stability

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    Spontaneous Fission

    Certain very heavy nuclei, particular those with even mass

    numbers (e.g., 238U and 244Pu) can spontaneously fission.Odd-mass heavy nuclei typically only fission in response to

    neutron capture (e.g., 235U, 239Pu)

    There is no fixed daughter product but rather astatistical distribution of fission products withtwo peaks (most fissions are asymmetric).

    Because of the curvature of the valley of

    stability, most fission daughters have excessneutrons and tend to be radioactive (-decays).

    You can see why some of the isotopes peopleworry about in nuclear fallout are 91Sr and 137Cs.

    Recoil of daughter products leavefission tracksof damage in crystals about 10 m long, whichonly heal above ~300C and are therefore

    useful for low-temperature thermochronometry.

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    Fundamental law of radioactive decay

    Each nucleus has a fixed probability of decaying per unit

    time. Nothing affects this probability (e.g., temperature,pressure, bonding environment, etc.)

    [exception: very high pressure promotes electron capture slightly]

    This is equivalent to saying that averaged over a largeenough number of atoms the number of decays per unit time

    is proportional to the number of atoms present.

    Therefore in a closed system:

    dN

    dt N (Equation 3.1)

    N= number of parent nuclei at time t

    = decay constant = probability of decay per unit time (units: s1)

    To get time history of number of parent nuclei, integrate 3.1:

    N t Noet

    (3.2) No = initial number of parent nuclei at time t= 0.

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    Definitions

    The mean life

    of a parent nuclide is given by the number

    present divided by the removal rate (recall this later when we talkabout residence time):

    N

    N

    1

    (3.3)

    The half life t1/2 of a nucleus is the time after which half theparent remains:

    This is also the e-folding time of the decay:

    N() Noe

    Noe1

    No

    e

    N(t1/2) No

    2 Noe

    t1/2 t1/2 ln2 t1/2 ln 2

    .693

    The activity is decays per unit time, denoted by parentheses:

    N N (3.4)

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    Decay of parent

    0 2 3 4 5time

    No

    No

    2

    t1/2

    No

    e

    0 2 3 4 5time

    t1/2

    0

    -1

    -2

    -3

    -4

    -5

    slope = -1

    Activity

    ln(N)ln(N

    o)

    Some dating schemes only consider measurement of parent nucleibecause initial abundance is somehow known.

    14C-14N: cosmic rays create a roughly constant atmospheric 14C inventory,so that living matter has a roughly constant 14C/C ratio while it exchanges

    CO2 with the environment through photosynthesis or diet. After deaththis 14C decays with half life 5730 years. Hence even through thedaughter 14N is not retained or measured, age is calculated using:

    t

    1

    14 ln

    (14

    C) /C

    (14C) /C o

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    Radiocarbon dating in practice

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    Radiocarbon dating in practice

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    Evolution of daughter isotopes

    Consider the daughter isotopeD resulting from decays of

    parent isotopeN. There may be someD in the system at timezero, so we distinguish initialDo and radiogenicD*.

    D t Do D* t

    (3.5)

    Under most circumstances,No is unknown, so substitute

    Each decay of one parent yields one daughter (an extension

    is needed for branching decays and spontaneous fission),

    so in a closed system

    D(t) Do No N t Do No 1 et

    No Net

    D(t) Do N t et1

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    Evolution of daughter isotopes

    Parent and daughter isotopes are frequently measured with

    mass spectrometers, which only measure ratios accurately,

    so we choose a third stable, nonradiogenic nuclide S such

    that in a closed system S(t) = So:

    (3.6)

    D(t)

    S(t) Do

    S(t) N t

    S(t)et1

    t

    D

    S

    o

    D

    S

    t

    N

    S

    e

    t

    1

    0 2 3 4 5

    No/S

    o

    t1/2

    0

    Daughter D/S

    Parent N/S

    time

    C

    oncentrationra

    tios *

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    Evolution of daughter isotopes When the initial concentration of daughter isotope can be taken as

    zero, a date can be obtained using a single measurement of (D/S)tand (N/S)ton the same sample.

    Example: 40K-40Ar dating Ar diffusivity is very high, so it is lost by minerals above some blocking

    temperature (~350C for biotite). We assume 40Aro = 0 and measuretime since sample cooled through its blocking temperature.

    If36Ar is used as the stable denominator isotope, an alternative toassuming 40Aro = 0 is to assume initial Ar of atmospheric composition.

    40K/36Ar ratios are hard to measure well, so 40Ar-39Ar method is moreaccurate. The sample is irradiated with neutrons along with a neutronfluence standard of known age, converting 39K into 39Ar. 39K/40K isconstant in nature, so one gets the 40K content of the sample by step-

    heating and measuring39

    Ar/40

    Ar ratios, which can be done very precisely. 40K has a branching decay; it can either electron capture to yield 40Ar or

    -decay to 40Ca. The relevant decay constant is therefore (ec/40) Another example is U,Th-4He thermochronometry, which dates the passage of

    apatite through the blocking temperature for4

    He retention, ~80

    C (!). This isuseful for dating the uplift of mountain ranges.

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    K-Ar dating vs. Ar-Ar dating Here is an example of the relative precision of K-Ar and Ar-Ar

    methods. The top point below is an Ar-Ar measurement, theothers are K-Ar.

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    Isochron method Most often the initial concentration of neither parent nor daughter

    is known, and more than one measurement is required to extract ameaningful date and also solve for the initial (D/S) ratio.

    Ideally we need multiple samples ofequal age with equal initialratio (D/S)o but different ratios (N/S). In this case equation 3.6

    defines a line on an isochron plot:

    N/S

    Do/So

    slope = et-1

    D/S

    t

    D

    S

    o

    D

    S

    t

    N

    S

    e

    t1

    y = intercept + x * slope

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    Isochron method The best way to guarantee that all samples have the same initial

    (D/S) ratio is to use different isotopes of the same element asDand S so that at high temperature diffusion will equalize this ratiothroughout a system.

    The best way to guarantee that all samples have the same age is to

    use different minerals from the same rock, which chemicallyfractionateNfromD when they crystallize. The whole rock canalso form a data point.

    Example 1: 87Rb-87Sr The parent is 87Rb, half-life = 48.8 Ga

    The daughter is 87Sr, which forms only 7% of natural Sr.

    The stable, nonradiogenic reference isotope is 86Sr.

    t

    87Sr

    86Sr

    o

    87Sr

    86Sr

    t

    87Rb

    86Sr

    e

    87t1

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    Example 1: Rb-Sr systematics Rb is an alkali metal, very incompatible during melting,

    with geochemical affinity similar to K.

    Sr is an alkaline earth, moderately incompatible duringmelting, with geochemical affinity similar to Ca.

    Age of the Chondritic meteoritesfrom Rb-Sr isochron: Acompilation of analyses of manymineral phases from manychondrites define a high precision

    isochron with an age of 4.56 Gaand an initial 87Sr/86Sr of 0.698

    implies solar nebula in chondriteformation region was well-mixedfor Sr isotope ratio and all

    chondrites formed in a short time.

    Rb+

    Sr2+

    Igneous processes like melting and crystallization thereforereadily separate Rb from Sr and generate a wide separation ofparent-daughter ratios ideal for quality isochron measurements.

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    Example 2: Sm-Nd systematics Parent isotope is 147Sm, alpha decay half-life 106 Ga.

    Daughter isotope is143

    Nd, 12% of natural Nd. Stable nonradiogenic reference isotope is 144Nd.

    t

    143Nd

    144

    Nd

    o

    143Nd

    144

    Nd

    t

    147Sm

    144

    Nd

    e

    147t1

    Nd isotopes are useful not only for dating but as tracers of large-scale geochemical differentiation. For these purposes, Nd isotope

    ratios are given in the more convenient form Nd:

    Nd t sample

    143Nd

    144Nd

    CHUR

    143Nd

    144Nd

    1

    104

    Nd 0 sample

    143Nd

    144Nd

    sample

    147Sm

    144Nd e147t 1

    CHUR

    143Nd

    144Nd

    CHUR

    147Sm

    144Nd e147t 1

    1

    104

    where CHUR is the chondritic uniform reservoir, the evolution of a reservoir withbulk earth or bulk solar system Sm/Nd ratio and initial 143Nd/144Nd.

    (3.7)

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    Example 2: Sm-Nd systematics Both Nd and Sm are Rare-Earth elements (REE or lanthanides), a coherent

    geochemical sequence of ions of equal charge (+3), smoothly decreasing ionic

    radius from La to Lu, and hence smooth variations in partition coefficients.

    In most minerals, Nd is more incompatible than Sm (opposite of Rb-Sr system,where daughter Sr is more compatible than parent Rb). Hence after a partialmelting event, the rock crystallized from the extracted melt phase has a lower

    Sm/Nd ratio than the source whereas the residual solids have a higher Sm/Ndratio than the source.

    residue

    crust

    1

    10

    0.1

    La Ce Pr Nd Pm Sm Eu Gd Tb Dy Ho Er Tm Yb L u

    primitive source

    Sample

    CI

    chondrite

    Normalizing concentration of

    each element to CI chondriteserves two purposesit makesprimitive (aka chondritic)compositions a flat line and ittakes out the sawtooth patternfrom the odd-even effect in thesolar abundances.

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    Example 2: Sm-Nd systematics

    Since the rock crystallized from

    the extracted melt phase has alower Sm/Nd ratio than thesource, it evolves with time to aless radiogenic isotope ratio.

    Since the residual solids have ahigher Sm/Nd ratio than thesource they evolve with time to amore radiogenic isotope ratio.

    143 Nd144 Nd

    time

    age

    0 (today) 4.5 Ga

    .511847

    CHUR

    meltingevent

    residue

    crust

    Initial Nd isotope ratios are reported by extrapolating back to the measured orinferred age of the sample and comparing to CHUR at that time.

    Thus, Nd(t)=0 in an igneous rock implies that the source was chondritic(or primitive) at the time of melting.Typical continental crust has Nd=-15 (requires remelting enriched source!) Typical oceanic crust has Nd=+10 (requires remelting depleted source!).

    This is evidence that the upper mantle (from which oceanic crust recently

    came) is depleted, and that the complementary enrichedreservoir is thecontinents. The mean age of depletion of the upper mantle is ~2.5 Ga.

    One-stage Nd evolution

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    Example 3: Extinct nuclides

    Since the parent is extinct, we cannot use equation 3.6 to measure an isochron

    We can show that certain nuclei with half-lives between ~1 and 100 Ma werepresent in the early solar system even though they are extinctnow.

    Chronometry based on these short-lived systems gives superior time resolutionfor studies of early solar system processes.

    Example: 26Al-26Mg

    half-life of26Al is 0.7 Ma. It is present in supernova debris.

    t

    D

    S

    o

    D

    S

    t

    N

    S

    e

    t1N 0,t

    1

    t

    D

    S

    o

    D

    S

    0 1 ?

    Instead, to interpret measured (D/S) ratios we need another, stable isotope S2of the same element as short-lived parentN, so that we can expect (N/S2)owas constant. This gives a new equation for a line:

    tDS

    t o

    DS o

    NS o

    DS o

    NS2

    S2S

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    Example 3: Extinct nuclides

    Wasserburg used stable 27Al as thesecond, stable isotope of Al to provethat 26Al was present when the Ca,Al-

    rich inclusions in chondrites formed.

    He demonstrated a correlation between26Mg/24Mg and Al/Mg amongcoexisting mineral phases.

    The correlation proves the presence oflive 26Al when the inclusion formed,and the slope is the initial 26Al/Al ratio,~5 x 10-5 in the oldest objects.

    Given estimates of26Al production insupernovae, this places a maximum ofa few million years betweennucleosynthesis and condensation of

    solids in the solar system!

    Example: 26Al-26Mg

    half-life of26Al is 0.7 Ma. It is present in supernova debris.

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    Joys of the U,Th-Pb system 238U decays to 206Pb through an elaborate chain of 8 -decays and 6 -decays,each with its own decay constant. To understand U-Pb (or Th-Pb)

    geochronology, we need to understand decay chains.

    238 U

    234 Th

    92

    91

    90

    144 145 146

    #

    protons

    # neutrons

    #nucleo

    ns

    234

    235

    236

    2

    37

    238

    235 U

    231 Th 232 Th

    234 U

    234 Pa231 Pa

    230 Th228 Th227 Th

    228 Ac227 Ac

    223 Ra224 Ra 226 Ra 228 Ra

    223 Fr

    219 Rn220 Rn 222 Rn

    219 At218 At215 At

    218 Po216 Po215 Po214 Po210 Po211 Po 212 Po

    215 Bi214 Bi210 Bi211 Bi 212 Bi

    214 Pb212 Pb211 Pb210 Pb206 Pb207 Pb 208 Pb

    210 Tl206 Tl207 Tl 208 Tl

    206 Hg

    89

    88

    87

    86

    85

    84

    83

    82

    81

    80

    141 142 143138 139 140135 136 137132 133 134129 130 131126 127 128124 125

    229

    230

    231

    232

    233

    224

    225

    226

    227

    228

    219

    220

    221

    222

    223

    214

    215

    216

    217

    218

    212

    213

    210

    211

    209

    207

    208

    4.5Ga0.7Ga

    14Ga

    247k a

    7 h33 ka

    24 d26 h80 ka2 a18 d

    6 h22 a

    6 a1.6ka4 d11 d

    22 m

    4 d55 s4 s

    1 m2 s0.1m s

    3 m0.15 s2 m s0.2m s0.3 s0.5 s138 d

    7 m20 m61 m2 m5 d

    27 m11 h36 m21 a

    1 m3 m5 m4 m

    7.5 m

    Decay series of 238 U, 235 U, and 232 Th

    -decay -decay

    232 Th chain

    s = 10 -6 seconds

    ms = 10-3

    secconds

    s = seconds

    m = minutes

    h = hours

    d = days

    a = years

    ka = 103

    years

    Ga = 109

    years

    half-life unit abbreviations:

    235 U chain

    238 U chain

    (mas

    sn

    umb

    ers

    modul

    o4

    )

    0

    3

    2

    (length of

    chain)

    -deca

    ys

    -decay

    s

    6

    7

    8

    4

    4

    6

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    Decay chain systematics

    Consider a model system of three isotopes:

    N11 N2

    2 N3

    ParentN1 decays toN2. Intermediate daughterN2 decaystoN

    3. Terminal daughterN

    3is stable.

    Evolution of this system is governed by coupled equations:

    dN1dt

    1N1 dN2dt

    1N1 2N2 dN3dt

    2N2

    Solution forN1 is already known (eqn. 3.2), so we have:dN2dt

    1N1oe

    1t 2N2dN3dt

    2N2N1 t N1oe

    1t

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    Decay chain systematics

    The general solution for n isotopes in a chain was obtained

    by Bateman (1910); for our 3 isotope case:

    N2 (t) 1

    2 1N1

    oe

    1t e2t N2oe2t (3.8a)N3(t) N1

    o1 1

    2 11e

    2t 2e1t N2

    o1 e2t N3

    o (3.8b)

    The behavior of this system depends on 1/2. Solutions fall into twoclasses. For 1/2>1, all concentrations and ratios are transient:

    0

    0.2

    0.4

    0.6

    0.8

    1

    0 5 10 15 20 25

    N / N

    1o

    t/ 1

    1/2=5N1

    N2 N3

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    Decay chain systematicsFor 1/2

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    Decay chain systematics

    Consider further the case 1/2 10-12 s-1)

    In this case 21 ~ 2, so 3.8a simplifies to:

    N2 (t) 1

    2

    N1o

    e1t e2t N2oe2t (3.9)

    Since 2 > 1, the e2t terms decay fastest, and after about5 mean-lives ofN2, we have

    N2 (t)t5/2

    1

    2

    N1oe

    1t 1

    2

    N1(t)

    2N2 1N1 N2 N1 This is the condition of secular equilibrium: the activities

    of the parent and of every intermediate daughter are equal.

    The concentration ratios are fixed to the ratios of decayconstants.

    (3.10)

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    Applications of U-series disequilibria Violations of secular equilibrium are extremely useful for studying

    phenomena on timescales comparable to the intermediate half-lives,e.g.:

    230Th, t1/2 = 75000 years

    226Ra, t1/2 = 1600 years

    210Pb, t1/2 = 21 years Some systems incorporate lots of daughter and essentially no parent

    when they form. The daughter is unsupported and acts like the parent ofan ordinary short-lived radiodecay scheme. Example: measuring

    accumulation rates in pelagic sediments, where Th adsorbs on particlesbut U remains in solution.

    Some systems incorporate lots of parent and essentially no daughter.Surprisingly, the daughter grows in on the time scale of its own decay,not that of the parent. Example: corals readily incorporate U and

    exclude Th during CaCO3 growth. In this caseN2o = 0, e1t~1, and

    230Th

    234U

    230

    Th 238

    U 1 e230t

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    Applications of U-series disequilibria During partial melting, the partition coefficients of parents and

    daughters may differ, producing a secular disequilibrium in melt andresidue.

    For the timescales of mantle melting and melt extraction to the crust,the relevant isotopes are 230Th (75 ka), 231Pa (33 ka), and 226Ra (1.6 ka)

    During melting in the mantle at pressure

    2.5 GPa, the mineral garnetpreferentially retains U over Th, leading to excess (230Th) in the melt.The melt would return to secular equilibrium within ~350 ka, so thepresence of excess (230Th) in erupted basalts proves both the role ofgarnet in the source region and fast transport of melt to the crust.

    (238

    U)/(232

    Th)

    ( 232 Th)

    ( 230 Th)

    melting

    d e c a

    y

    equilin

    e

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    U,Th-Pb geochronology On timescales long enough that all intermediate nuclei reach secular

    equilibrium, U and Th systems can be treated as simple one-step decays to Pb.

    dNndt

    n1Nn1 L 1N1

    Nn(t) Nio

    i2

    n N1o e1t1 Nn

    o N1o e1t1

    t

    206

    Pb204Pb

    o

    206

    Pb204Pb

    t

    238

    U204Pb

    e238t1

    t

    207Pb

    204Pb

    o

    207Pb

    204Pb

    t

    235U

    204Pb

    e235t

    1t

    208Pb

    204Pb

    o

    208Pb

    204Pb

    t

    232Th

    204Pb

    e

    232t1

    238U, t1/2=4.5 Ga

    235

    U, t1/2=0.7 Ga

    232Th, t1/2=14 Ga

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    U,Th-Pb geochronology

    *207Pb

    204Pb

    *206Pb204

    Pb

    t

    207Pb

    204Pb

    o

    207Pb

    204Pb

    t

    206

    Pb204Pb

    o

    206

    Pb204Pb

    t

    235U

    238

    U

    e235t1

    e

    238t1 Conveniently, 235U/238U is globally constant (except for an ancient

    natural fission reactor in Gabon, and perhaps near Oak Ridge, TN) at1/138. One does not have to measure U at all for this method.

    Since 207Pb-206Pb age depends only on Pb isotope ratios, not Pb or Uconcentration, it is not affected by recent alteration whether Pb-loss or

    U-loss. Only addition of contaminant Pb or aging after alteration willaffect the measured age (still need to correct for common Pb).

    Each of these chronometers can be used independently. If they agree,the sample is said to be concordant. However, Pb is mobile in many

    environments, and samples often yield discordantages from the 238U-206Pb, 235U-207Pb, and 232Th-208Pb chronometers.

    Discordance due to recentPb loss, such as during weathering, isresolved by coupling the two U-Pb systems to obtain a 207Pb-206Pb date

    U Th Pb geochronology

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    U,Th-Pb geochronology Any concordant group of samples plots on an isochron line in

    (207Pb/204Pb)*-(206Pb/204Pb)* space; the age is calculable from its slope.

    Initial Pb isotope ratios can be neglected for many materials with veryhigh U/Pb ratios (e.g., old zircons), or measured on a coexisting mineralwith very low U/Pb ratio (e.g., feldspar, troilite).

    10

    11

    12

    13

    14

    15

    16

    1718

    19

    9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23

    ( 206 Pb/204 Pb)

    ( 207 P

    b /

    204

    P b )

    4.56 Ga ISOCHRON

    evolution curves

    =5

    =8

    =10=12

    initial Pb (Canyon Diablo FeS, Patterson 1955)

    In 1955 C.C. Patterson measured initial Pb in essentially U-free troilite (FeS)grains in the Canyon Diablo meteorite and thereby determined the initial Pb

    isotope composition of the solar system. It follows from measurements ofterrestrial Pb samples that the Pb-Pb age of the earth is 4.56 Ga, and that theearth has evolved with a =(238U/204Pb) ratio of about 9 (chondrite value = 0.7)

    U Th Pb geochronology

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    U,Th-Pb geochronology If Pb was lost long enough in the past for continued decay of U to have

    any significant effect on Pb isotopes, the 207Pb-206Pb may be impossible

    to interpret correctly. In this case, we turn to the concordia diagram (G.Wetherill). Consider the family of all concordant compositions:

    t

    206Pb

    204

    Pb

    o

    206Pb

    204

    Pb

    t

    238U

    204Pb

    *206

    Pb238U

    e238t1

    *207Pb

    235U

    e235t1

    These equations parameterize a curve in (206Pb/238U)*(207Pb/235U)*space, the concordia.

    0

    0.2

    0.4

    0.6

    0.8

    0 5 10 15 20 25 30207 Pb*/235 U

    0.51.0

    1.5

    2.0

    2.5

    3.0

    3.5

    concordant sample after 3.0 Ga

    206 Pb*238 U

    concordia

    age in Ga

    U Th Pb geochronology

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    U,Th-Pb geochronology Imagine that a suite of samples underwent a single short-lived episode

    of Pb-loss at some time. This event did not fractionate 206Pb from 207Pb,

    so it moved the samples along a chord towards the origin in theconcordia plot:

    If these now discordant samples age as closed systems, they remain on a line,whose intercepts with the concordia evolve along the concordia with time

    0

    0.2

    0.4

    0.6

    0.8

    0 5 10 15 20 25 30( 207 Pb*/235 U)

    0.5

    1.01.5

    2.0

    2.5

    3.0

    3.5

    206

    Pb*238 U

    discordant samples at time of Pb-loss,

    3.0 Ga after crystallization

    0

    0.2

    0.4

    0.6

    0.8

    0 5 10 15 20 25 30(207 Pb*/235 U)

    0.5

    1.01.5

    2.0

    2.5

    3.03.5

    discordant samples 0.5 Ga after Pb-loss,

    3.5 Ga after crystallization

    206 Pb*238 U

    U Th Pb geochronology

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    U,Th-Pb geochronology Example: the oldest zircons on Earth (actually, the oldest anything on

    Earth), from the Jack Hills conglomerate in Australia

    P k l GCA 65 4215 2001