The effect of low-temperature annealing on discordance of U\u2013Pb zircon ages

Maria Herrmann,Carl Alwmark,Sanna Holm-Alwmark,Ulf Söderlund,Anders Scherstén,Tomas Næraa

doi:10.1038/s41598-021-86449-y

Abstract

Discordant U–Pb data of zircon are commonly attributed to Pb loss from domains with variable degree of radiation damage that resulted from α-decay of U and Th, which often complicates the correct age interpretation of the sample. Here we present U–Pb zircon data from 23 samples of ca. 1.7–1.9 Ga granitoid rocks in and around the Siljan impact structure in central Sweden. Our results show that zircon from rocks within the structure that form an uplifted central plateau lost significantly less radiogenic Pb compared to zircon grains in rocks outside the plateau. We hypothesize that zircon in rocks within the central plateau remained crystalline through continuous annealing of crystal structure damages induced from decay of U and Th until uplifted to the surface by the impact event ca. 380 Ma ago. In contrast, zircon grains distal to the impact have accumulated radiation damage at shallow and cool conditions since at least 1.26 Ga, making them vulnerable to fluid-induced Pb-loss. Our data are consistent with studies on alpha recoil and fission tracks, showing that annealing in zircon occurs at temperatures as low as 200–250 °C. Zircon grains from these samples are texturally simple, i.e., neither xenocrysts nor metamorphic overgrowths have been observed. Therefore, the lower intercepts obtained from regression of variably discordant zircon data are more likely recording the age of fluid-assisted Pb-loss from radiation-damaged zircon at shallow levels rather than linked to regional magmatic or tectonic events.

Highlights

Discordant U–Pb data of zircon are commonly attributed to Pb loss from domains with variable degree of radiation damage that resulted from α-decay of U and Th, which often complicates the correct age interpretation of the sample
Accumulation of radiogenic Pb over time is linked to the 238U-206Pb, 235U-207Pb and 232Th-208Pb decay chains, which is associated with recoil during emission of alpha particles and radiation damage e.g
Field-Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM) imaging and qualitative element analyses show that zircon grains from samples outside the central plateau more commonly have metamict domains with higher concentrations of non-stochiometric elements (e.g., Na, Ca, Fe) compared to zircon grains within the central plateau where about 6% of the dated grains show textural evidence for metamictization

Summary

Introduction

Discordant U–Pb data of zircon are commonly attributed to Pb loss from domains with variable degree of radiation damage that resulted from α-decay of U and Th, which often complicates the correct age interpretation of the sample. Our data are consistent with studies on alpha recoil and fission tracks, showing that annealing in zircon occurs at temperatures as low as 200–250 °C. Zircon grains from these samples are texturally simple, i.e., neither xenocrysts nor metamorphic overgrowths have been observed. Over geological time scales, structural defects, such as alpha damage (point defects and recoil tracks14) and fission tracks, anneal at significantly lower temperatures estimates vary. Annealing of fission tracks have been suggested to occur at temperatures between 200 and 250°C15–17 while alpha damage anneals over a broader temperature r ange[14,18] This leads to the hypothesis that Pb-loss is enhanced at shallow, relatively cool, crustal levels due to the accumulated. This hypothesis has yet to be empirically tested on natural zircon

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Conclusion