Thermal history of the Cretaceous Sindong Group, Gyeongsang Basin, Korea based on fission track analysis

Abstract

Apatite and zircon fission track (FT) analyses were carried out to reconstruct the thermal history of the Lower Cretaceous Sindong Group, which is the lowermost stratal unit of the Gyeongsang Basin, Korea. Zircon FT central ages show a wide range from 83 + 5 to 157 + 18 Ma, and single-grain age spectra have multiple age populations, whereas all apatites have very consistent FT ages of c. 60 Ma, suggesting a totally reset cooling age. Co-existence of both older and younger ages compared with the depositional age and relatively short mean track length indicate that the Sindong zircons were partially annealed. The Sindong Group was heated into the zircon partial annealing zone (ZPAZ) around 80 Ma, and cooled below the apatite closure temperature at c. 60 Ma. Based on the zircon FT results combined with vitrinite reflectance data, the maximum palaeotemperature to which the Sindong Group had been subjected can be inferred to be about 260 8C. Zircon FT data from a granite body that is in contact with the Sindong Group and sandstones close to the granite body indicate that thermal influence caused by Upper Cretaceous intrusive rocks was limited in close vicinity of the intrusion and that the major heat source of the Sindong Group was burial. The thickness of uplifted and eroded section is estimated to be about 7 km.

Thermal maturity assessment of the Upper Triassic to Lower Jurassic Nampo Group, mid‐west Korea: Reconstruction of thermal history

“…The average cooling age and temperature are based on apatite fission track of Jurassic and Cretaceous granites (Jin et al . 1987; Lim & Lee 2005) and Cretaceous basins (Lim et al . 2003; Choi & Lee 2006).…”

“…Apatite fission track analyses for Daebo granites (Jin et al . 1987), Cretaceous basins (Lim et al . 2003; Choi & Lee 2006) and Cretaceous Palgongsan Granite located in the Cretaceous Gyeongsang Basin (Lim & Lee 2005) suggest that they were uplifted to a shallow level of the apatite partial annealing zone of 60–110°C at 70–50 Ma.…”

“…In the southern Korean Peninsula, located in the eastern margin of Asia, recent studies using these methods suggest that the Paleozoic (Ko & Lee 1991; Lee & Ko 1997) and Mesozoic basins (Park & Park 1988, 1989; Noh & Park 1990; Son et al . 1994; Choi & Kim 1997; Lee & Lee 2001; Noh & Choi 2001; Lim et al . 2003; Choi & Lee 2006) have experienced high‐grade diagenesis to very low‐grade metamorphism.…”

Timing and mechanisms for the generation and modification of the anomalous topography of the Borborema Province, northeastern Brazil

“…track length distribution within a sample), and (3) the chlorine composition. The original basis of this approach, based on age and length data only, is described in several key publications Laslett et al, 1987;Green et al, 1989a), which have served as the basis for most fission-track application studies in the last 20 years Issler et al, 1999;Gleadow et al, 2002;Osadetz et al, 2002;Lim et al, 2003;Stockli et al, 2003).…”

Sandstone diagenesis of the Lower Cretaceous Sindong Group, Gyeongsang Basin, southeastern Korea: Implications for compositional and paleoenvironmental controls

“…2003). From apatite and zircon fission‐track analyses of the Sindong Group, Lim et al . (2003) suggested that the Sindong Group was heated into the zircon partial annealing zone around 80 Ma and cooled below the apatite closure temperature at ca 60 Ma.…”