TERRESTRIAL IN SITU COSMOGENIC NUCLIDES BURIAL DATING AND ITS APPLICATION IN GEOSCIENCES

doi:10.3969/j.issn.0253-4967.2011.02.021

Abstract

Abstract:

Terrestrial in situ cosmogenic nuclides burial dating has a promising application in dating of late Cenozoic detrital sediments,for example,cave sediments,fluvial sediments and moraine.This method relies on a pair of cosmic-ray-produced nuclides that are produced in the same rock or mineral target at a fixed ratio,but have different half-lives.For example, ²⁶ Al and ¹⁰ Be are produced in quartz at ²⁶ Al :¹⁰ Be=6.75 :1.The ratio is not affected by latitude and altitude.After sediments are buried,the ratio would become less as time goes.Therefore, ²⁶ Al/¹⁰ Be ratio can be used as a geological clock.The dating range can be from several hundreds of thousand years to five million years.In this article,we introduce four methods and their applications: exposure-burial diagram method,depth profile method,isochron method, ²⁶ Al-²¹ Ne and ¹⁰ Be-²¹ Ne method.Exposure-burial diagram method is often applied to cave sediments dating, for exposure-burial history of cave deposits is easy.Depth profile method is applied to fluvial sediments dating.There is a good application for isochron approach in till-paleosol sequences in North America. ²⁶ Al-²¹ Ne and ¹⁰ Be-²¹ Ne method has a great potential applicaton in future for its larger dating time and less uncertainty than other methods.The dating method still has many problems.Firstly,there are no exact half-lives.For example,there is still controversy for ¹⁰ Be half-life.Its estimate is 1.51±0.06Ma or 1.36±0.07Ma.Secondly,it is also a debate how to determine nuclides' production rates.In addition,post-burial or preburial erosion rate,inheritance nuclides concentration,post-burial nuclide production,effect of post-burial or preburial muonic production,sediment rework,complicated exposure-burial history of sediments all bring great challenges to cosmogenic nuclides dating.

Key words: Terrestrial in situ cosmogenic nuclides, burial dating, late Cenozoic cave river downcutting, paleoanthropology

摘要：

原地生成宇宙成因核素埋藏测年方法,在晚新生代沉积物尤其是陆相碎屑沉积物测年上具有广泛的应用前景。在同一岩石或矿物中的宇宙成因核素对,例如 ²⁶ Al和 ¹⁰ Be在地表的生成速率比值是固定的,不受纬度和海拔的影响,但是这一核素对分别具有不同的半衰期。在地表经历了暴露的沉积物被埋藏后,该比值会随着时间而降低,因此具有不同的半衰期的核素对(例如 ²⁶ Al/¹⁰ Be)可以作为一种地质时钟,测年范围在几十万a至5Ma。文中简要介绍了目前常用的4种方法及其应用: 暴露-埋藏图解法、深度剖面法、等时线法以及 ²⁶ Al-²¹ Ne和 ¹⁰ Be-²¹ Ne法。

关键词: 宇宙成因核素, 埋藏年龄测定, 晚新生代, 沉积物

CLC Number:

P597

YUAN Zhao-de, CHEN Jie, ZHANG Hui-ping. TERRESTRIAL IN SITU COSMOGENIC NUCLIDES BURIAL DATING AND ITS APPLICATION IN GEOSCIENCES[J]. SEISMOLOGY AND GEOLOGY, 2011, 33(2): 480-489.

袁兆德, 陈杰, 张会平. 宇宙成因核素埋藏年龄测定及其在地球科学中的应用[J]. 地震地质, 2011, 33(2): 480-489.

References

陈智梁,孙志明,Royden L H,等2004.四川泸定昔格达组的堰塞湖成因及其意义［J］.第四纪研究,24(6): 614-620.
CHEN Zhi-liang,SUN Zhi-ming,Royden L H,et al.2004.Landslide blocked lake: Origin of the Xigeda Formation in Luding,Sichuan and its significance ［J］.Quaternary Sciences,24(6): 614-620(in Chinese).
顾兆炎,许冰,吕延武,等.2006.怒江峡谷构造地貌的演化: 阶地宇宙成因核素定年的初步结果［J］.第四纪研究,26(2): 293-294.
GU Zhao-yan,XU Bing,LV Yan-wu,et al.2006.A report on ¹⁰ Be dating of terrace surfaces in Nujiang River valley ［J］.Quaternary Sciences,26(2): 293-294(in Chinese).
黄费新,刘小汉,孔屏,等.2004.东南极内陆格罗夫山地区基岩暴露年龄研究［J］.极地研究,16(1): 22-28.
HUANG Fei-xin,LIU Xiao-han,KONG Ping,et al. 2004.Bedrock exposure ages in the Grove Mountains,Interior East Antarctica ［J］.Chinese Journal of Polar Research,16(1): 22-28(in Chinese).
钱方,徐树金,陈富斌,等.1984.昔格达组磁性地层的研究［J］.山地研究,2(4): 275-282.
QIAN Fang,XU Shu-jin,CHEN Fu-bin,et al.1984.Study on the paleomagnetism of the Xigeda Formation ［J］.Journal of Mountain Research,2(4): 275-282(in Chinese).
王书兵,赵志中,乔彦松,等.2006.泸定昔格达组时代认定与古环境［J］.第四纪研究,26(2): 257-264.
WANG Shu-bing,ZHAO Zhi-zhong,QIAO Yan-song,et al.2006.Age and paleoenvironment of Xigeda Formation,Luding,Sichuan ［J］.Quaternary Sciences,26(2): 257-264(in Chinese).
徐则民,刘文连,黄润秋,等.2011.西昌昔格达组物质组成及源区分析［J］.第四纪研究,31(2): 378-396.
XU Ze-min,LIU Wen-lian,HUANG Run-qiu,et al.2011.Material composition and provenace analysis for Xichang Xigeda Fromation ［J］.Quaternary Sciences,31(2): 378-396(in Chinese).
Anthony D M,Granger D E.2004.A late Tertiary origin for multi-level caves along the western escarpment of the Cumberland Plateau,Tennessee and Kentucky,established by cosmogenic ²⁶ Al and ¹⁰ Be Journal of Cave and Karst Studies,66(2): 46-55.
Balco G,Shuster D L.2009. ²⁶ Al-¹⁰ Be-²¹ Ne burial dating ［J］.Earth and Planetary Science Letters,286: 570-575.
Balco G,RoveyⅡC W.2008.An isochron method for cosmogenic-nuclide dating of buried soils and sediments ［J］.American Journal of Science,308: 1083-1114.
Balco G,RoveyⅡC W,Stone J O.2005a.The first glacial maximum in North America ［J］.Science,307: 222.
Balco G,Stone J O,Mason J A.2005b.Numerical ages for Plio-Pleistocene glacial sediment sequences by ²⁶ Al-¹⁰ Be dating of quartz in buried paleosols ［J］.Earth and Planetary Science Letters,232: 179-191.
Balco G,Stone J O,Jennings C.2005c.Dating plio-pleistocene glacial sediments using the cosmic-ray-produced radionuclides ¹⁰ Be and ²⁶ Al ［J］.American Journal of Science,305: 1-41.
Davis M, Matmon A, Fink D, et al. 2011. Dating Pliocene lacustrine sediments in the central Jordan Valley, Israel-Implications for cosmogenic burial dating ［J］. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 305: 317-327.
Desilets D,Zreda M.2003.Spatial and temporal distribution of secondary cosmic-ray nucleon intensities and applications to in situ cosmogenic dating ［J］.Earth and Planetary Science Letters,206: 21-42.
Desilet D,Zreda M,Prabu T.2006.Extended scaling factors for in situ cosmogenic nuclides: New measurements at low latitude ［J］.Earth and Planetary Science Letters,246: 265-276.
Dunai T J.2000.Scaling factors for production rates of in situ produced cosmogenic nuclides: A critical reevaluation ［J］.Earth and Planetary Science Letters,176: 157-169.
Fink D,Smith A M.2007.An inter-comparison of ¹⁰ Be and ²⁶ Al AMS reference standards and the ¹⁰ Be half-life ［J］.Nuc Inst Methods B, 259:600-609.
Gibbon R J,Granger D E,Kuman K,et al.2009.Early Acheulean technology in the Rietputs Formation,South Africa,dated with cosmogenic nuclides ［J］.Journal of Human Evolution,56: 152-160.
Gosse J C,Phillips F M.2001.Terrestrial in situ cosmogenic nuclides-Theory and application ［J］.Quarternary Science Reviews,20: 1475-1560.
Granger D E.2006.A review of burial dating methods using ²⁶ Al and ¹⁰ Be ［J］.Geological Society of America Special Paper, 415: 1-16.
Granger D E,Muzikar P F.2001a.Dating sediment burial with in situ-produced cosmogenic nuclides-Theory,techniques,and limitations ［J］.Earth and Planetary Science Letters,188: 269-281.
Granger D E,Fabel D,Palmer A N.2001b.Pliocene-Pleistocene incision of the Green River,Kentucky,determined from radioactive decay of cosmogenic ²⁶ Al and ¹⁰ Be in Mammoth Cave sediments ［J］.GSA Bulletin,113(7): 825-836.
Granger D E,Smith A L.2000.Dating buried sediments using radioactive decay and muogenic production of ²⁶ Al and ¹⁰ Be ［J］.Nuclear Intruments and Methods in Physics Research,B172: 822-826.
Granger D E,Kirchner J W,Finkel R C.1997.Quaternary downcutting rate of the New River,Virginia,measured from differential decay of cosmogenic ²⁶ Al and ¹⁰ Be in cave-deposited alluvium ［J］.Geology,25(2): 107-110.
Klein J,Giegengack R,Middleton R,et al.1986.Revealing histories of exposure using in situ produced ²⁶ Al and ¹⁰ Be in Libyan Desert Glass ［J］.Radiocarbon,28(2A): 547-555.
Kong P,Granger D E,Wu F,et al.2009a.Cosmogenic nuclide burial ages and provenance of the Xigeda paleo-lake: Implications for evolution of the Middle Yangtze River ［J］.Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 278:131-141.
Kong P,Fink D,Na C,et al.2009b.Late Quaternary glaciation of the Tianshan,Central Asia,using cosmogenic ¹⁰ Be surface exposure dating ［J］.Quaternary Research,72: 229-233.
Lal D.1991.Cosmic ray labeling of erosion surfaces-In situ nuclide production rates and erosion models ［J］.Earth and Planetary Science Letters,104: 424-439.
Lal D,Arnold J R.1985.Tracing quartz through the environment ［J］.Proceedings of Indian Academy of Science(Earth and Planetary Science),94: 1-5.
Nishiizumi K,Kohl C P,Arnold J R,et al.1991.Cosmic ray produced ¹⁰ Be and ²⁶ Al in Antarctic rocks: Exposure anderosion history ［J］.Earth and Planetary Science Letters,104: 450-454.
Nishiizumi K,Imamura M,Caffee M W,et al.2007.Absolute calibration of ¹⁰ Be AMS standards ［J］.Nuc Inst Methods B,258: 403-413.
Partridge T C,Granger D E,Caffee D W,et al.2003.Lower Pliocene hominid remains from Sterkfontein ［J］.Science,300: 607-612.
Rovey C W,Balco G.2010.Periglacial climate at the 2.5Ma onset of Northern Hemisphere glaciation inferred from the Whippoorwill Formation,northern Missouri,USA ［J］.Quaternary Research,73: 151-161.
Shen G,Gao X,Gao B,et al.2009.Age of Zhoukoudian Homo erectus determined with ²⁶ Al-¹⁰ Be burial dating ［J］.Nature,458: 198-200.
Stock G M,Anderson R S,Finkel R C.2004.Pace of landscape evolution in the Sierra Nevada,California,revealed by cosmogenic dating of cave sediments ［J］.Geological Society of America,32(3): 193-196.
Stone J O.2000.Air pressure and cosmogenic isotope production ［J］.Journal of Geophysical Research,105: 753-759.
Wolkowinsky A J,Granger D E.2004.Early Pleistocene incision of the San Juan Riverr,Utah,dated with ²⁶ Al and ¹⁰ Be ［J］.Geological Society of America,32(9): 749-752.