Lesson 1Potassium-Argon and Argon-Argon (K-Ar, Ar-Ar): minerals suitable (whole-rock basalt, sanidine, groundmass, plagioclase), age ranges, sample preparation, excess argon issuesWe explore K–Ar and 40Ar/39Ar methods for Eritrean basalts and volcanics, covering suitable minerals, irradiation, step-heating, age spectra, handling excess and inherited argon, alteration checks, and ranges from young flows to old metamorphic rocks.
40K decay scheme and argon retentionSuitable minerals and rock typesIrradiation, flux monitors and standardsAge spectra, plateaus and isochronsExcess argon, recoil and alteration testsLesson 2U-Pb in zircon and baddeleyite: applications to granitoids, ash/tuff, concordia diagrams, Pb loss and inheritanceWe detail U–Pb dating of zircon and baddeleyite in Eritrean granitoids and tuffs, including U/Pb uptake, concordia plots, discordance fixes, Pb loss, inheritance handling, common Pb corrections, for intrusions and ash layers.
U and Pb partitioning in accessory mineralsID-TIMS, LA-ICP-MS and SIMS approachesConcordia, discordia and age interpretationPb loss, metamorphism and inheritanceApplications to plutons and ash layersLesson 3Paleomagnetism as an auxiliary absolute/relative tool: polarity stratigraphy correlation, sampling procedures, secular variation curvesLearn how paleomagnetism aids age control in Eritrean sequences via polarity patterns and secular shifts, covering sampling, demagnetization, ties to global timescales, and blending with radiometric dates and strata.
Remanent magnetization carriers and typesField sampling strategies and orientationLaboratory demagnetization and componentsPolarity stratigraphy and GPTS correlationSecular variation curves and age modelingLesson 4Radioisotopic dating fundamentals: parent-daughter systems, half-life, closure temperature, isochronsCore ideas of radioisotopic dating for Eritrean fieldwork: decay chains, half-lives, closure temps, isochron plots, initial isotope fixes, spotting open systems, and uncertainty checks.
Radioactive decay equations and half-lifeParent–daughter systems and mineral hostsClosure temperature and diffusion effectsIsochron theory and data regressionAssessing open-system behavior and errorsLesson 5Luminescence dating (OSL/IRSL/TL): dating feldspar and quartz in sediments, burial dose measurement, sample handling to avoid light exposure, age ranges and dose rate estimationIntro to luminescence for Eritrean sediments: quartz/feldspar charge trapping, burial dose, dark sampling, dose rates, limits, tackling saturation and fading issues.
Trapped charge physics and luminescence signalsOSL, IRSL and TL measurement protocolsField sampling and light-safe handlingDose rate components and environmental dosimetryAge calculation, limits and fading correctionsLesson 6Radiocarbon (C-14): materials dated, calibration, reservoir effects, upper limit ~50 kaRadiocarbon basics for Eritrean sites: production/decay, organics/inorganics, prep, calibration, reservoir tweaks, ~50 ka limit, probability curves.
14C production, decay law and measurementDatable materials and sample pretreatmentCalibration curves and calendar agesMarine and freshwater reservoir effectsLimits, background and contamination controlLesson 7Common laboratory and field errors across methods: contamination, reworking, diagenesis, inheritance, open-system behavior, and analytical uncertaintiesSpot field/lab pitfalls biasing Eritrean ages: contamination, reworking, diagenesis, inheritance, open systems, detectors, data errors—plus detection, fixes, quality steps.
Sampling bias, mixing and reworkingContamination and modern carbon inputsDiagenesis, alteration and resettingInheritance and detrital grain complicationsAnalytical uncertainties and QA/QCLesson 8Cross-validation and multi-method strategies: choosing primary and backup methods, integrating stratigraphic constraints and biostratigraphyBuild multi-method plans for Eritrean chronologies: pick primaries/backups, blend strata/biostrat, fix discords, robust timelines with clear uncertainties.
Criteria for choosing primary methodsSelecting complementary backup techniquesIntegrating stratigraphy and biostratigraphyReconciling discordant or outlier agesChronological models and uncertainty budgetsLesson 9Fission-track and (U-Th)/He thermochronology: apatite and zircon for cooling histories, track annealing, effective temperature ranges, sample selectionFission-track/(U-Th)/He for Eritrean cooling paths: apatite/zircon tracks, annealing, He diffusion, closures, selection, dispersion, exhumation models.
Spontaneous fission tracks and etching methodsTrack annealing, kinetics and partial zones(U-Th)/He diffusion and closure conceptsMineral selection and radiation damage effectsThermal history and exhumation modeling
