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Title: Zircon and apatite fission-track evidence for an Early Permian thermal peak and relatively rapid Late Permian cooling in the Appalachian Basin

Abstract

New zircon fission-track ages compliment published apatite fission-track ages in the Appalachian Basin to narrowly constrain its thermal history. Geologic evidence can only constrain timing of the thermal peak to be younger than late Pennsylvanian sediments ([approximately] 300 Ma) and older than Mesozoic sediments in the Newark and Gettysburg Basins ([approximately] 210 Ma). Apatite fission-track ages as old as 246 Ma require the Alleghanian thermal peak to have been pre-Triassic. Preliminary data on reset zircon fission-track ages from middle Paleozoic sediments range from 255 to 290 Ma. Zircon fission-track apparent ages from samples younger and structurally higher than these are not reset. Thus, the oldest reset zircon fission-track age constraints the time of the Alleghanian thermal peak to be earliest Permian. Rates of post-Alleghanian cooling have not been well-constrained by geologic data and could be very slow. The difference between apatite and zircon fission-track ages for most of the samples range from 100--120 m.y. reflecting Permo-Triassic cooling of only 1 C/m.y. However, one sample with one of the oldest apatite ages, 245 Ma, yields one of the younger zircon ages of 255 Ma. This requires cooling rates of 10 C/m.y. and uplift rates of [approximately] 0.5 mm/yr. Collectively, these datamore » support an early Permian thermal peak and a two-stage cooling history, consisting of > 100 C cooling (> 8 km denundation) in the Permian followed by relatively slow cooling and exhumation throughout the Mesozoic.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [2]
  1. Rensselaer Polytechnic Inst., Troy, NY (United States). Dept. of Earth and Environmental Science
  2. Indiana Univ., Bloomington, IN (United States). Dept. of Geological Sciences
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
5808288
Report Number(s):
CONF-921058-
Journal ID: ISSN 0016-7592; CODEN: GAAPBC
Resource Type:
Conference
Journal Name:
Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States)
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 24:7; Conference: 1992 annual meeting of the Geological Society of America (GSA), Cincinnati, OH (United States), 26-29 Oct 1992; Journal ID: ISSN 0016-7592
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
58 GEOSCIENCES; APPALACHIAN BASIN; GEOTHERMOMETRY; AGE ESTIMATION; APATITES; COOLING; FISSION TRACKS; GEOLOGIC HISTORY; GROUND UPLIFT; PERMIAN PERIOD; RESERVOIR TEMPERATURE; ZIRCON; GEOLOGIC AGES; GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES; MINERALS; PALEOZOIC ERA; PARTICLE TRACKS; PHOSPHATE MINERALS; SEDIMENTARY BASINS; SILICATE MINERALS; 580000* - Geosciences

Citation Formats

Roden, M K, and Wintsch, R P. Zircon and apatite fission-track evidence for an Early Permian thermal peak and relatively rapid Late Permian cooling in the Appalachian Basin. United States: N. p., 1992. Web.
Roden, M K, & Wintsch, R P. Zircon and apatite fission-track evidence for an Early Permian thermal peak and relatively rapid Late Permian cooling in the Appalachian Basin. United States.
Roden, M K, and Wintsch, R P. 1992. "Zircon and apatite fission-track evidence for an Early Permian thermal peak and relatively rapid Late Permian cooling in the Appalachian Basin". United States.
@article{osti_5808288,
title = {Zircon and apatite fission-track evidence for an Early Permian thermal peak and relatively rapid Late Permian cooling in the Appalachian Basin},
author = {Roden, M K and Wintsch, R P},
abstractNote = {New zircon fission-track ages compliment published apatite fission-track ages in the Appalachian Basin to narrowly constrain its thermal history. Geologic evidence can only constrain timing of the thermal peak to be younger than late Pennsylvanian sediments ([approximately] 300 Ma) and older than Mesozoic sediments in the Newark and Gettysburg Basins ([approximately] 210 Ma). Apatite fission-track ages as old as 246 Ma require the Alleghanian thermal peak to have been pre-Triassic. Preliminary data on reset zircon fission-track ages from middle Paleozoic sediments range from 255 to 290 Ma. Zircon fission-track apparent ages from samples younger and structurally higher than these are not reset. Thus, the oldest reset zircon fission-track age constraints the time of the Alleghanian thermal peak to be earliest Permian. Rates of post-Alleghanian cooling have not been well-constrained by geologic data and could be very slow. The difference between apatite and zircon fission-track ages for most of the samples range from 100--120 m.y. reflecting Permo-Triassic cooling of only 1 C/m.y. However, one sample with one of the oldest apatite ages, 245 Ma, yields one of the younger zircon ages of 255 Ma. This requires cooling rates of 10 C/m.y. and uplift rates of [approximately] 0.5 mm/yr. Collectively, these data support an early Permian thermal peak and a two-stage cooling history, consisting of > 100 C cooling (> 8 km denundation) in the Permian followed by relatively slow cooling and exhumation throughout the Mesozoic.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5808288}, journal = {Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States)},
issn = {0016-7592},
number = ,
volume = 24:7,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1992},
month = {Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1992}
}

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