Noble gas isotope lab



The laboratory has facilities for noble-gas analysis, consisting of ultrahigh vacuum purification system and furnace. The K-Ar age is determined by unspiked method (Ryu et al., 2013) for young rocks (e.g., Holocene volcanic rocks) and spiked method (Nagao et al., 1996; Feyissa et al., 2017) for relatively older rocks (0.1 to 100 Ma).

Methods and techniques:

  • Ryu et al. (2013). K-Ar analyses of the post-caldera lavas of Bratan volcano in Bali Island, Indonesia - Ar isotope mass fractionation to light isotope enrichment, Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 264, 107-116.
  • Nagao et al. (1996). Ar Isotope Analysis for K-Ar Dating Using Two Modified-VG5400 Mass Spectrometers—I: Isotope Dilution Method, Journal of the Mass Spectrometry Society of Japan, 44(1), 39-61.
  • Feyissa et al. (2017). Petrologic and geochemical characterization of rift-related magmatism at the northernmost Main Ethiopian Rift: Implications for plume-lithosphere interaction and the evolution of rift mantle sources, Lithos, 282-283, 240-261 (2017).

  • Noble gases Laboratory - Spherical Image - RICOH THETA

    Noble Gas Laboratory
    VG5400
    Helix SFT

    Technical Utilities

    • VG5400 (Micromass, UK)
    • Helix SFT (Thermo Scientific)
    • Cryogenic trap (stainless steel and charcoal)
    • Ultrahigh vacuum purification lines (10-9 torr) equipped with nonevaporable getters (St101, St172)
    • Gas extraction furnace (~1500 ˚C with Ta heater and Mo crucible)
    • Residual gas deterctor (Q-pole mass analyzer)

    Analytical Capabilities

    • Determination of waters in rocks (H2O+ and H2O-) with precision 1% (1σ)
    • Determination of ferrous iron with precision 1% (1σ).

    Related Work