What Caused the Inconsistency between Rb−Sr and ⁴⁰Ar−³⁹Ar Ages of Authigenic Illites?

Abstract

Radiogenic isotope dating of illitic clays has been widely used to reconstruct thermal and fluid flow events in siliciclastic sedimentary basins, the information of which is critical to investigate mechanisms of hydrocarbon maturation. This study carried out Rb−Sr and ⁴⁰Ar−³⁹Ar dating of authigenic illitic clay samples separated from the Palaeogene sandstone in the northern South China Sea. Our Rb−Sr data further confirm the previously reported three periods of fluid flow events (at 34.5 ± 0.9, 31.2 ± 0.6, and 23.6 ± 0.8 Ma, respectively) in the northern South China Sea, which are related to regional episodic tectonism. However, ⁴⁰Ar−³⁹Ar ages of illite obtained in this study are significantly younger than the corresponding Rb−Sr ages. The significantly younger ⁴⁰Ar−³⁹Ar ages were probably due to ⁴⁰Ar loss caused by later dry heating events on the Hainan Island that have not affected the Rb−Sr isotopic systematics. The inconsistency between Rb−Sr and ⁴⁰Ar−³⁹Ar data should be attributed to different isotopic behaviors of K−Ar and Rb−Sr isotopic systematics in illite. Our results indicate that Rb−Sr isotopic dating method may be a preferential approach for clay dating in geological settings where exist younger dry heating events.

Keywords

authigenic illite / isotope dating / Rb−Sr isochron / ⁴⁰Ar−³⁹Ar dating / inconsistency / geochemistry

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