Diffusion closure temperature and age of a mineral with arbitrary extent of diffusion: Theoretical formulation and applications

Jibamitra Ganguly, Massimiliano Tirone

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

216 Scopus citations

Abstract

The commonly used expression of the closure temperature, T(C), of a diffusing species in a mineral, as derived by M.H. Dodson [Contrib. Mineral. Petrol. 40 (1973) 259-264], is applicable only to systems which have undergone sufficient diffusion so that even the composition at the center of individual grains is significantly removed from that established at the onset of cooling. We have extended Dodson's formulation to include cases with arbitrarily small amount of diffusion, and applied it to calculate T(C) and age profiles, which would develop in single crystals of different geometries. These results permit evaluation of the extent of resetting of mineral age and of ion exchange geothermometers during cooling. The measured age profile of a mineral can also be used to constrain its cooling rate. These applications have been illustrated for the cases of garnet-biotite Fe-Mg exchange geothermometer, and the cooling age and closure temperatures of the Sm-Nd and Lu-Hf decay systems in garnet.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)131-140
Number of pages10
JournalEarth and Planetary Science Letters
Volume170
Issue number1-2
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 30 1999

Keywords

  • Age
  • Crystal chemistry
  • Crystal zoning
  • Diffusion
  • Garnet group
  • Geologic thermometry
  • P-T-t paths

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Geophysics
  • Geochemistry and Petrology
  • Earth and Planetary Sciences (miscellaneous)
  • Space and Planetary Science

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