Calculation of 230ThU isochrons, ages, and errors

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
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Abstract

If analytical errors are responsible for the scatter of points on a 230Th-234U-238U isochron diagram, the isochron should be fitted by a technique that1. weights the points according to their analytical errors and error correlations, and

  • 2. either takes into account the presence of some of the same data in two coupled XY isochrons or (equivalently) uses a single, three-dimensional XYZ isochron.

A method based on maximum-likelihood estimation is presented that fulfills these requirements, and the relevant equations for errors in age and initial 234U238U are given. Equations for estimating the necessary isotope-ratio errors and error-correlations for both alpha-spectrometric and mass-spectrometric data are also developed.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Calculation of 230ThU isochrons, ages, and errors
Series title Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
DOI 10.1016/0016-7037(94)90229-1
Volume 58
Issue 22
Year Published 1994
Language English
Publisher Elsevier
Description 12 p.
First page 5031
Last page 5042
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