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Short course:
Introduction to U-series geochemistry and applications

BY

Dr Simon P. Turner Royal Society Research Fellow Department of Earth Sciences Wills Memorial Building University of Bristol Bristol, BS8 1RJ, UK

Dr. Bernard Bourdon Laboratoire de Géochimie et Cosmochimie IPGP-CNRS UMR7579 4, Place Jussieu 75252 Paris cedex 05 France

October 31, 2001 - 08:30-12:00, 14:00-18:15 - Salle 102 - 13, rue des Maraîchers

Verrée à 18:30, salle 605

Morning:

I. Introduction to U-series (1 hr, Turner)
a) History
b) U-series systematics
c) Measurements of U-series nuclides
d) Geochemical properties of U-series nuclides

II. Dating carbonates with U-series (1 hr, Bourdon)
a) The principles of carbonate dating
b) The 234U-238U and 234U-230Th dating method
c) The 231Pa-235U dating method
d) Modeling of closed and open systems
e) Coral dating and the rise of sea level in the Holocene
f) Detrital Carbonate dating
g) Dating of speleothems

III. U-series as geochemical tracers for surface processes (1.5 hr, Bourdon)
a) U-series as tracers for chemical weathering and transport in rivers
   i) behaviour of U-series in surficial environments
   ii) timescales of weathering inferred from U-series in rivers
b) Transport processes and the mobility of radionuclides in aquifers
   i) water-rock interactions and the fractionation of U-series nuclides
   ii) radionuclide transport in aquifers: applications to
the problem of nuclear waste disposal

Afternoon:

IV. Dating igneous rocks and magma chamber processes (1 hr, Turner)
a) Eruption ages
b) Magma residence times

V. U-series constraints on mantle melting at ridges and hotspots (1.5 hr, Bourdon)
a) Fractionation of U-series nuclides during mantle melting
   i) observations at mid-ocean ridges
   ii) observations beneath hotspots
b) Modelling U-series behaviour during melting and magma migration

VI. U-series constraints on magma genesis at convergent margins (1.5 hr, Turner)
a) Components in subduction zone lavas as distinguished by U-series isotopes
b) U-Th and the timing of U-addition
c) U-Pa and the effects of partial melting
d) Ra-Th and the rates and mechanisms of melt transfer

 

Participation is limited to 45 people by the room size (on a first come-first serve basis; email only: miner@terre.unige.ch ). We request that all individuals who plan to participate inform us that they will be attending before 25 October. An accurate participant count will also allow us to prepare the correct number of hand-outs and arrange adequately for refreshments.

Thank you for your cooperation. We will post an update on this site before 29 October.

Mike Dungan

[University of Geneva]  [Earth Sciences]  [Geology Department]  [Mineralogy Department]
[Institut F.-A. FOREL]  [Maîtrise universitaire en Sciences de l'environnement - MUSE]  [ELSTE]
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