Abstract
THE results of K : Ar measurements on several deep sea basalts1,2 have been interpreted as indicating that the basaltic outflows on the crest of the East Pacific Rise are fairly young (<1 m.y.), that there is no systematic increase in age with distance from the Rise of three sea mounts studied, and that excess Ar is a frequent component of deep sea rocks. This excess of argon means that K : Ar ages on deep sea materials must be regarded as maxima until the extent of the excess is determined for each sample. The excess is probably produced by K-decay before eruption and is frozen into the rock as it cools. It is therefore associated with the hydrostatic pressure and with the rapidity of cooling of each sample (that is, with the glass content). The presence of glass in terrestrial (non-pelagic) rocks is usually thought to indicate the possibility of Ar loss (so that K : Ar ages of glassy materials may indicate only minimum ages) and so it was clear that an independent means of dating these rocks would help substantiate our interpretations.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Fisher, D. E., Bonatti, E., Joensuu, O., and Funkhouser, J., Science, 160, 1106 (1968).
Funkhouser, J., Fisher, D. E., and Bonatti, E., Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. (in the press).
Fleischer, R. L., Price, P. B., and Walker, R. M., Ann. Rev. Nucl. Sci., 15, 1 (1965).
Fleischer, R. L., Viertl, J. R. M., Price, P. B., and Aumento, F., Science, 161, 1339 (1968).
Dalrymple, G. B., and Moore, J. G., Science, 161, 1132 (1968).
Fleischer, R. L., and Price, P. B., J. Geophys. Res., 69, 331 (1964).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
FISHER, D. Fission Track Ages of Deep Sea Glasses. Nature 221, 549–550 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1038/221549a0
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/221549a0
This article is cited by
-
Bibliography section
Journal of Radioanalytical Chemistry (1970)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.