Syllabus
1. Introduction (TM) Timescales of geological processes Physico-chemical fundamentals of the isotope geochemistry and geochronology Stability of atoms, mechanisms of radioactive decay Nucleosynthesis and short history of the Universe
2. Chemical and instrumental methods (TM) Sample decompositions, chemical separations using ion-exchange columns Mass spectrometry (TIMS and ICP-MS) In-situ analysis (laser ablation) Isotope dilution, mass fractionation
3. Statistical treatment and interpretation of analytical data (VJ) Statistical evaluation of analytical data Sources of errors, accuracy and precision Measures of location and dispersion Graphical presentation of data in isotope geochemistry Error propagation law
4. Principles of geochronology (VJ) Calculating age and initial ratio Isochron method and its alternatives Epsilon notation, Nd and Hf model ages U–Pb system for dating of accessory phases
5. Isotope geochemistry and geochronology of igneous rocks (VJ) Timing intrusion and cooling of igneous rocks (K–Ar, Ar–Ar, Lu–Hf, Re–Os, Rb–Sr and Sm–Nd methods) Using radiogenic isotopes in studying petrogenesis of igneous rocks – radiogenic isotopes of Sr, Nd, Hf, Pb, Os in the Earth’s mantle, oceanic and continental crust Processes influencing isotopic composition of the magma, closed and open system, binary mixing, assimilation and fractional crystallization (AFC) Petrogenesis of igneous rocks in variable geotectonic setting Classification and origin of granites
6. Isotope geochemistry and geochronology of metamorphic and hydrothermal processes (TM) Extinct radionuclides and their applications Cosmogenic nuclides and their applications LA-ICP MS dating of magmatic, metamorphic and detritic zircons Fission-track method Diffusion, concept of closure temperature, dating metamorphic minerals
Annotation
This course presents fundamentals of radiogenic isotope geochemistry and geochronology at master level. This includes principal analytical procedures used in the isotope geochemistry/geochronology.