Lesson 1Potassium-Argon and Argon-Argon (K-Ar, Ar-Ar): minerals suitable (whole-rock basalt, sanidine, groundmass, plagioclase), age ranges, sample preparation, excess argon issuesExplores K–Ar and 40Ar/39Ar methods, suitable minerals and rocks, irradiation and step-heating, age spectra, excess and inherited argon, alteration screening, and appropriate age ranges from young basalts to ancient volcanic and 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 inheritanceDetails U–Pb dating in zircon and baddeleyite, covering U and Pb incorporation, concordia diagrams, discordance, Pb loss, inheritance, common Pb correction, and applications to granitoids, mafic intrusions, and volcanic ash or tuff 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 curvesExplains how paleomagnetism provides age control through polarity stratigraphy and secular variation. Discusses sampling design, demagnetization, correlation to geomagnetic polarity timescales, and integration with radiometric ages and stratigraphy.
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, isochronsPresents core concepts of radioisotopic dating, including parent–daughter decay, half-life, decay constants, closure temperature, isochron construction, initial daughter correction, and evaluation of open-system behaviour and analytical uncertainties.
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 estimationIntroduces luminescence dating of quartz and feldspar, explaining trapped charge physics, burial dose determination, sampling in darkness, dose rate calculation, age limits, and common problems such as signal saturation and anomalous fading.
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 kaCovers radiocarbon production, decay, and measurement, suitable organic and inorganic materials, pretreatment, calibration curves, reservoir and hard-water effects, age range near 50 ka, and interpretation of calibrated probability distributions.
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 behaviour, and analytical uncertaintiesReviews common field and laboratory problems that bias ages, including contamination, reworking, diagenesis, inheritance, open-system behaviour, detector issues, and data reduction mistakes, with strategies for detection, mitigation, and quality control.
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 biostratigraphyDiscusses how to design multi-method dating strategies, select primary and backup chronometers, integrate stratigraphic and biostratigraphic constraints, reconcile discordant ages, and build robust chronologies with transparent uncertainty budgets.
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 selectionIntroduces fission-track and (U-Th)/He thermochronology in apatite and zircon, explaining track formation, annealing, helium diffusion, closure temperatures, sample selection, age dispersion, and how cooling histories and exhumation paths are modelled.
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
