S. Eggins, R. Grün, M. McCulloch
Dec 1, 2005
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Quaternary Science Reviews
Abstract
The capabilities and potential applications of in situ dating of Quaternary materials using laser ablation-MC-ICPMS are explored. 234 U/ 238 U and 230 Th/ 234 U can be measured with precision sufficient for dating at a spatial resolution of 100mm or better in samples that contain as a little as 1 ppm uranium. Moreover, U and Th concentrations and U-series isotope ratios can be continuously profiled to determine changes in age that occur with sample growth (e.g. in speleothems). These capabilities additionally permit the dating of bones, teeth and possibly molluscs, which are subject to post-mortem open-system behaviour of Useries isotopes, and can be employed to elucidate processes of U-series migration during weathering and diagenesis. A drawback of laser ablation-MC-ICPMS is that it cannot in general provide U-series age estimates with the high precision and accuracy of conventional TIMS or solution MC-ICPMS methods. However, sample preparation is straightforward, the amount of sample consumed negligible, and it can be used to rapidly characterise or screen and select samples from which more precise and accurate dates can be obtained using conventional methods. Given further instrumental developments and the establishment of suitable matrix-matched standards for carbonates and other materials, we foresee that laser ablation-MC-ICPMS will play an increasingly important role in Quaternary dating research. r 2005 Published by Elsevier Ltd.