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Updated: Jul 5, 2026

Preparing an Isotopically Pure 229Th Ion Beam for Studies of 229mTh
Published on: May 3, 2019
Synchronizing rock clocks of Earth history
K F Kuiper1, A Deino, F J Hilgen
1Faculty of Geosciences, Department of Earth Sciences, Utrecht University, Budapestlaan 4, 3584 CD Utrecht, Netherlands.
This study calibrates the geological time scale using astronomical and radioisotopic dating methods. New precise ages for Fish Canyon sanidine and the Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary improve Earth history reconstruction.
Area of Science:
- Geochronology
- Paleontology
- Earth Science
Background:
- Geological time scale calibration relies on radioisotopic and astronomical dating.
- Existing methods show discrepancies of ~1.0% or more, hindering accurate Earth history reconstruction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To calibrate the age of Fish Canyon sanidine, a key standard in 40Ar/39Ar geochronology.
- To reduce uncertainties in radioisotopic dating and improve astronomical tuning of geological records.
Main Methods:
- Comparison of astronomical and 40Ar/39Ar ages of marine tephras in Morocco.
- Calibration of the Fish Canyon sanidine standard using high-precision dating techniques.
Main Results:
- A more precise age of 28.201 +/- 0.046 million years ago (Ma) for Fish Canyon sanidine.
- Reduced absolute uncertainty for the 40Ar/39Ar method from ~2.5% to 0.25%.
- Mutually consistent age of ~65.95 Ma for the Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary.
Conclusions:
- The improved calibration enhances the precision of the geological time scale.
- This advancement allows for more accurate reconstruction of Earth's history, particularly for pre-Neogene periods.
- Provides tighter constraints for astronomical tuning, leading to better age resolution in geological records.
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