Low-T geochronology at University of Göttingen

Routinely used methods are: apatite, zircon and sphene FT and (U-Th)/He chronology, but several He dating experiments with rutile, allanite, fluorite, goethite, magnetite, garnet, etc. are also performed


The aim of Fission Track and (U-Th)/He Laboratories is to provide thermochronological data mainly for sedimentary basin studies. Our profile comprises dominantly provenance analysis using single-grain dating and post-sedimentary burial heating studies, but thermochronological studies of basement formations are also performed.

The concept and construction of the He laboratory follows two principal aims:
(i) creating a flexible system that allows methodological developments beyond outine geochronological measurements and
(ii) constructing an extraction line with very low background and high sensitivity. Therefore way we can date very young, even archeological samples having low He signal.

Together with other geochronological facilities at the Isotope Geology and Geochemistry Departments of Göttingen University we can cover a wide spectrum of geochronological tasks using U-Pb, Sm/Nd, Rb/Sr, K/Ar and U-series dating methods.

Contact: István Dunkl

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