New contraints on ages of glasses proposed as Reference Materials for Fission-Track Dating

Abstract

New analyses have been performed in order to enhance the data-set on the independent ages of four glasses that have been proposed as reference materials for fission-track dating. The results are as follows. Moldavite - repeated 40Ar/39Ar age determinations on samples from deposits from Bohemia and Moravia yielded an average of 14.34 ± 0.08 Ma. This datum agrees with other recent determinations and is significantly younger than the 40Ar/39Ar age of 15.21 ± 0.15 Ma determined in the early 1980s. Macusanite (Peru) - four K-Ar ages ranging from 5.44 ± 0.06 to 5.72±0.12 Ma have been published previously. New 40Ar/39Ar ages gave an average of 5.12 ± 0.04 Ma. Plateau fission-track ages determined using the IRMM-540 certified glass and U and Th thin films for neutron fluence measurements agree better with these new 40Ar/39Ar ages than the previously published ages. Roccastrada glass (Italy) - a new 40Ar/39Ar age, 2.45 ± 0.04 Ma, is consistent with previous determinations. The Quiron obsidian (Argentina) is a recently discovered glass that has been proposed as an additional reference material for its high spontaneous track density (around 100 000 cm-2). Defects that might producem “spurious” tracks are virtually absent. An independent 40Ar/39Ar age of 8.77 ± 0.09 Mamwas determined and is recommended for this glass. We believe that these materials, which will be distributed upon request to fission-track groups, will be very useful for testing system calibrations and experimental procedures