Temperature dependence of heavy-ion track registration in crystals: Implications for cosmic-ray and fission tracks in meteorites

Abstract

Abstract The etch rate of heavy-ion tracks in apatite and enstatite crystals has been found to be strongly dependent upon the temperature of the mineral at the time of track registration. This has important implications for cosmic-ray track identification in meteorites, which generally spend a large proportion of their exposure lifetimes at low temperatures in space, as well as for their fission-track dating and cooling rate determinations.