The Solid Earth

Chapter 6
Answers to selected questions

(1) Plot the data and fit a straight line to the points.
(a)
Use Eq.6.29 to calculate the age :
slope = 0.0012
0.0012 = e λt −1
1.0012 = e λt
λt = 0.001199
Use λ = 1.42 ×10−11 a -1
t = 8.45 ×10 7 a
= 84.5 Ma
(b) Initial ratio is 0.7074.
(c) Given their age, the initial strontium ratio for these rocks if they were of
direct mantle origin would be ca 0.704. The measured value just exceeds
€ that with the 2σ error on the intercept 0.00014 (see Appendix 4).

1.27 − 0.71
(2) (a) slope = = 0.0056
100
As the initial ratio is ca. 0.710, it is probable that the rock is of mantle
origin.
Use Eq. 6.29 to calculate the age:
0.0056 = eλt − 1
1.0056 = eλt
λt = 0.005584
Use λ = 1.42 × 10 −11 a -1
t = 3.93 × 10 −3 × 1011
= 3.93 × 10 8 a
=393 Ma

0.93 − 0.73
(b) slope = = 0.0067
30
The initial ratio indicates a crustal origin.
Calculate age t as in (a) above, t=469 Ma.
(3) The slope is 0.02 and the intercept is 0.727. Using Eq. 6.29 therefore the age
of the sediment is ca 1390 Ma and the intercept clearly establishes that the
sediments are of crustal origin.

(4) Use
N = N 0 e− λt
235
U
238
= 0.007257 for Earth, Moon and meteorites
U now
235
U
238
= 1.5 estimated production ratio
U
λ238 = 1.55125 × 10 −10 a -1
λ235 = 9.8485 × 10 −10 a -1
 235U  now  235U  0 e− λ235 t
=
 238U  now  238U  0 e− λ238 t
0.007257 = 1.5e− λ235 t eλ238 t
= 1.5e( λ238 − λ235 )t
 0.007257 
ln  = −8.29725 × 10 −10 t
 1.5 
t = 0.6425 × 1010
= 6.43 Ga

If the production ratio is 2.0, then t=6.77 Ga.

(b)
 87 Sr 
 86 Sr  = 0.699
 0
( )
 87 Sr  now =  87 Rb  0 eλt − 1 +  87 Sr  0
 87 Sr   87 Rb   87 Sr 
 86 Sr  =  86  λ t +  86 Sr 
  now  Sr  now  0
 87 Sr   87 Rb  −11 9  87 Sr 
 86 Sr  =  86  1.42 × 10 × 0.8 × 10 +  86 Sr 
  3.8  Sr  3.8   4.6
= 0.699 + 0.09 × 1.42 × 0.8 × 10 −2
= 0.700
(5) Granite #1, from mantle, at 2500 Ma, Rb/Sr=0.5
Granite #2, is granite #1 remelted at 500 Ma, Rb/Sr=0.7

1.9
Initial ratio of mantle 2.5 Ga ago = ( 0.704 − 0.699 ) × × 0.699 = 0.701
4.6
At 2500 Ma, for granite #1
 87 Sr  0.5 × 0.28
 86  =
 Sr 2500 0.1
= 1.4
At 500 Ma in granite #1
 87 Sr  −11 9
 86  = 0.701+ 1.4 ×1.42 ×10 × 2 ×10
€  Sr 500
= 0.741
The Sr ratio in the granite #2 now:
 87 Sr  0.7 × 0.28
 86  = 0.741+ ×1.42 ×10−11 × 500 ×10 6
€  Sr now 0.1
= 0.755

(6) A one-month delay should not cause a problem as the 39Ar half life is 269
years.€

(8) The best-fit straight line is

143 147
Nd Sm
144
= 0.5068 + 0.0302 144
Nd Nd
(a) Age t in years, half-life is 6.54x10-12 a-1 (Table 6.2).
0.0302 = e λt −1
€ ln(1.0302) = λt
0.02975 = 6.54 ×10−12 t
0.02975
t=
6.54 ×10−12
= 4.55 ×10 9 a
= 4.55 Ga
(b) Initial ratio for Nd is 0.5068.

(9) (a)€Garnet age 700 Ma, ~330°C, muscovite age 540 Ma, ~160°C.
Cooled 170°C in 160 Ma ∴ cooling rate ~1°C per Ma.

(b) Closure temperature for garnet ~280°C

Closure temperature for muscovite ~120°C
 (c) Apatite, closure temperature ~70°C, cooling at ~1°C per Ma.
Apatite age recorded will be ~490 Ma.

(d) Biotite would have a closure temperature of 30-40°C at this cooling rate.
Yes.

(10) 653-646 Ma, cooling rate 7°C per Ma.

309-299 Ma, cooling rate 4°C per Ma.

The overall cooling rate between 653 and 299 Ma is less than 0.6°C per Ma,
which suggests that the FT results may be dating two cooling events: zircon
and sphene indicate cooling at ~7°C per Ma at ~650 Ma, while hornblende and
apatite indicate cooling of ~4°C per Ma at ca. 300 Ma.

Consult Table 6.4 to select an isotopic method with closure temperatures that
will augment the FT results.