Low-Temperature Thermochronology: Advances, Applications, and Innovations in Tectonics, Earth Surface Processes and Ore Deposits

• Section: Structural Geology and Tectonics
• Submission deadline: 31 August 2023
• Lead Editor: Jiyuan Yin, Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing, China
• Guest Editors:
  • Johan De Grave, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
  • Xiaoming Shen, National Institute of Natural Hazards, Ministry of Emergency Management of China, Beijing, China
  • Ruohong Jiao, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada

Call for papers

Description

Low-temperature thermochronometry systems can document the cooling history of rocks through temperature intervals between ~300 and ~20 ℃. Owing to their low-temperature sensitivity, fission track and (U-Th)/He methods are routinely used to decipher a range of Earth science problems, such as mountain building in active orogens, crustal deformation of fold-and-thrust systems, Earth surface processes, thermo-tectonic evolution, and preservation of ore deposits. Fission track and (U-Th)/He of detrital minerals are also applied to quantify basin burial and exhumation processes and to track the source-to-sink evolution of mountain-basin systems. One-dimensional to three-dimensional kinetic modeling of thermochronological data enables researchers to reconstruct the evolution of landscapes and understand tectonic-climate interactions at variable spatial-temporal scales.

In recent years, great effort has been made to develop new thermochronometries, such as 4He/3He and hematite (U-Th)/He, and to understand fission track annealing and helium diffusion mechanisms. These advances and innovations in theories help geologists gain more reliable exhumation histories of the upper crust. New analytical methods have also been successfully applied to constrain topographic and geomorphic evolution, deformation of fault zones, hydrothermal process, and weathering.

This Special Issue will focus on recent applications of low-temperature thermochronology in geological and geomorphological processes, and advances and innovations in theories and laboratory experiments. We welcome both original research and review articles.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

• Mountain building and exhumation
• Basin burial history
• Landscape evolution
• Earth surface processes
• Interactions between tectonics and paleoclimates
• Thermochronological methods
• Helium diffusion process
• Preservation of ore deposits/li>

Papers are published upon acceptance.