Thermal History Modeling of Low-Temperature Thermochronology

A special issue of Minerals (ISSN 2075-163X). This special issue belongs to the section "Mineral Geochemistry and Geochronology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2024 | Viewed by 3283

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510120, China
Interests: low-temperature chronology methods and their applications in structural geology, geomorphological evolution, and mineral exploration
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Guest Editor
School of Geographic Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
Interests: low temperature thermochronology and its application on neotectonics and tectonic geomorphology

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Guest Editor
School of Earth Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
Interests: low temperature thermochronology and its application on Geomorphology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The thermal history modeling of low-temperature thermochronology has been more and more widely applied in geological research such as cooling history, exhumation history, and landscape evolution. However, there are still many problems in thermal history modeling, including theory, methods, and application. Therefore, analysis of the principle of thermal history modeling and acknowledgement of the traps in thermal history modeling processes are urgently needed. This Special Issue plans to give an overview of the most recent advances in the field of thermal history modeling and their applications in diverse areas. This Special Issue aims to provide selected contributions on advances in the theory, methods, and applications with regard to the thermal history modeling of low-temperature thermochronology.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to: Algorithms for thermal history modeling; introduction of thermal history modeling programs; traps in thermal history modeling processes; experience in modeling thermal history; application of thermal history modeling; future perspectives for thermal history modeling.

Dr. Ruxin Ding
Prof. Dr. Honghua Lv
Dr. Rong Yang
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • thermal history modeling
  • low-temperature thermochronology
  • cooling history
  • exhumation
  • landscape evolution

Published Papers (3 papers)

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27 pages, 21480 KiB  
Article
The Long-Term Tectonism of the Longshou Shan in the Southwest Alxa Block—Constrained by (U-Th)/He Thermochronometric Data
by Changhuan Feng, Wenjun Zheng, Jiabao Jia, Shiqi Wei and Weitao Wang
Minerals 2024, 14(2), 143; https://doi.org/10.3390/min14020143 - 28 Jan 2024
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Abstract
The Longshou Shan, located in western China, plays a crucial role in connecting the Tarim Continent with the North China Craton. It provides valuable insights into the Cenozoic intracontinental deformation, the complex dynamics of Eurasian tectonics, and the relationship between the pre-Cenozoic Tethys [...] Read more.
The Longshou Shan, located in western China, plays a crucial role in connecting the Tarim Continent with the North China Craton. It provides valuable insights into the Cenozoic intracontinental deformation, the complex dynamics of Eurasian tectonics, and the relationship between the pre-Cenozoic Tethys and Central Asian orogenic systems. Consequently, comprehending the evolution of the Phanerozoic era in this region holds immense significance. Zircon (U-Th)/He (ZHe) dating was conducted on three granite samples (n = 18) collected from the Longshou Shan. The ZHe dates of these granite rocks range from 7.2 to 517.7 Ma, showing a negative correlation with eU values. Furthermore, a limestone sample from the Longshou Shan yielded ZHe (n = 4) ages of 172.0–277.1 Ma and AHe (n = 4) ages of 17–111.9 Ma. The area has undergone complex tectonic processes involving multiple phases of uplift and burial. Using both forward and inverse modeling methods, we aim to establish plausible thermal histories. Our models reveal: (1) Late Paleozoic unroofing; (2) Early Mesozoic cooling and Late Mesozoic regional stabilization; and (3) Cenozoic reheating and subsequent cooling. By investigating the intricate thermal history of the Longshou Shan through multi-method modeling, we compare different approaches and assess the capabilities of single ZHe dating for understanding a thermal history. This research contributes to unraveling the region’s geological complexities and aids in evaluating various modeling methods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Thermal History Modeling of Low-Temperature Thermochronology)
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23 pages, 13131 KiB  
Article
Assessing the Activity of Eastern Himalayan Extensional Structures: Evidence from Low-Temperature Thermochronology of Granitic Rocks from Yadong
by Tiankun Xu, Yalin Li, Finlay M. Stuart, Zining Ma, Wenjun Bi, Yongyong Jia and Bo Yang
Minerals 2024, 14(1), 66; https://doi.org/10.3390/min14010066 - 05 Jan 2024
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Abstract
The east–west-trending South Tibetan Detachment System (STDS) and north–south-trending rifts (NSTRs) are the two main types of extensional structures that have developed within the Tibetan Plateau during continent–continent collision since the early Cenozoic. They have played significant roles in the evolution of the [...] Read more.
The east–west-trending South Tibetan Detachment System (STDS) and north–south-trending rifts (NSTRs) are the two main types of extensional structures that have developed within the Tibetan Plateau during continent–continent collision since the early Cenozoic. They have played significant roles in the evolution of the plateau, but it is unclear how they are related genetically. In the Yadong area of the eastern Himalaya, the NSTRs cross-cut the STDS. Apatite and zircon fission track ages of a leucogranite pluton in the footwall of the two extensional faults can be used to reconstruct the cooling and exhumation history and thereby constrain the activity of extensional structures. The new AFT ages range from 10.96 ± 0.70 to 5.68 ± 0.37 Ma, and the ZFT age is 13.57 ± 0.61 Ma. Track length distributions are unimodal, albeit negatively skewed, with standard deviations between 1.4 and 2.1 µm and mean track lengths between 11.6 and 13.4 µm. In conjunction with previously published datasets, the thermal history of the region is best explained by three distinct pulses of exhumation in the last 16 Ma. The first pulse (16–12 Ma) records a brittle slip on the STDS. The two subsequent pulses are attributed to the movement on the Yadong normal fault. The normal fault initiated at ~12 Ma and experienced a pulse of accelerated exhumation between 6.2 and 4.7 Ma, probably reflecting the occurrence of two distinct phases of fault activity within the NSTRs, which were primarily instigated by slab tear of the subducting Indian plate. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Thermal History Modeling of Low-Temperature Thermochronology)
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8 pages, 4777 KiB  
Opinion
Several Problems in Low-Temperature Thermal History Modeling
by Ruxin Ding
Minerals 2023, 13(7), 891; https://doi.org/10.3390/min13070891 - 30 Jun 2023
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Abstract
Thermal history modeling based on low-temperature thermochronological data is widely used in the study of geology. Despite its common applications, several problems remain easy to ignore yet should not be overlooked in the execution of such models. This paper describes four key problems [...] Read more.
Thermal history modeling based on low-temperature thermochronological data is widely used in the study of geology. Despite its common applications, several problems remain easy to ignore yet should not be overlooked in the execution of such models. This paper describes four key problems of thermal history modeling, namely, (1) is the best-fit thermal history the best? (2) Is the date constraint box a suitable constraint? (3) Does the bimodal distribution of the apatite fission track confined track length absolutely correspond to the cooling reheating model? (4) Is the whole thermal history path credible? Counterexamples are then provided to stress the importance of accounting for these problems in the application of thermal history modeling. Acknowledging the uncertainty and considering the geological constraints are recommended to improve the accuracy of thermal history models. Moreover, thermal historical intervals with high credibility and strong constraint ability are recommended to interpret the selected geological phenomenon. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Thermal History Modeling of Low-Temperature Thermochronology)
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