Launch of (U-Th)/He activities at ISTerre (2024)

Project description

The geo-thermo-chronology (U-Th)/He laboratory is in its launch phase, following the installation of lines for extracting and analyzing He in geological samples. The addition of this method makes ISTerre the only European laboratory to have all the existing geo-thermo-chronology methods at its disposal. The first (U-Th)/He ages were obtained on a standard apatite sample (Durango) and indicate that (U-Th)/He dating activities can be launched at ISTerre. To enable analytical activities to be set up and used by different ISTerre users, an organizing committee has been set up (by mineral phase), and additional equipment and new analytical protocols need to be installed for smooth operation under the best conditions of safety and reproducibility.