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The numerical age of the Devonian-Carboniferous boundary

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 May 2009

J. C. Claoué-Long ,
P. J. Jones ,
J. Roberts  and
S. Maxwell
J. C. Claoué-Long
Affiliation:
Research School of Earth Sciences, Australian National University, GPO Box 4, Canberra 2601, Australia
P. J. Jones
Affiliation:
Bureau of Mineral Resources, GPO Box 378, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
J. Roberts
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Geology, University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW 2033, Australia
S. Maxwell
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Geology, University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW 2033, Australia
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Abstract

The SHRIMP ion microprobe has been used to date zircons in a 1 cm thick bentonite located in the Hasselbachtal auxiliary global stratotype section through the Devonian-Carboniferous boundary in Germany, and a tuff located at a similar biostratigraphic level in Australia. Multiple replicate analyses have yielded indistinguishable ages, and indicate 353.2±4.0 Ma (2σ) as the age of the boundary. Obtaining an age for the boundary in the German reference section depended on the ability of SHRIMP to date a small sample and to target small areas of structurally complex zircons. Future refinements of the age of this boundary may depend on re-analysis of this uniquely placed bentonite, and this highlights the value of defining biostratigraphic stratotypes in the vicinity of known dateable horizons.

Type
Articles
Information
Geological Magazine , Volume 129 , Issue 3 , May 1992 , pp. 281 - 291
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1992

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