UCL Discovery Stage
UCL home » Library Services » Electronic resources » UCL Discovery Stage

Evidence from Ab Initio and Transport Modeling for Diffusion-Driven Zirconium Isotopic Fractionation in Igneous Rocks

Chen, X; Wang, W; Zhang, Z; Nie, NX; Dauphas, N; (2020) Evidence from Ab Initio and Transport Modeling for Diffusion-Driven Zirconium Isotopic Fractionation in Igneous Rocks. ACS Earth and Space Chemistry , 4 (9) pp. 1572-1595. 10.1021/acsearthspacechem.0c00146. Green open access

[thumbnail of acsearthspacechem.0c00146.pdf]
Preview
Text
acsearthspacechem.0c00146.pdf - Accepted Version

Download (3MB) | Preview

Abstract

We use density functional theory to calculate the equilibrium isotopic fractionation factors of zirconium (Zr) in a variety of minerals including zircon, baddeleyite, Ca-catapleiite, ilmenite, geikielite, magnetite, apatite, K-feldspar, quartz, olivine, clinopyroxene, orthopyroxene, amphibole, and garnet. We also report equilibrium isotopic fractionation factors for Hf in zircons, Ca-catapleiite, and ilmenite. These calculations show that coordination environment is an important control on Zr and Hf isotopic fractionation, with minerals with Zr and Hf in low coordinations predicted to be enriched in the heavy isotopes of Zr and Hf, relative to those with Zr and Hf in high coordinations. At equilibrium, zircon, which hosts Zr and Hf in 8-fold coordination, is predicted to have low 94Zr/90Zr and 179Hf/177Hf ratios compared to silicate melt, which hosts Zr and Hf in 6-fold coordination. However, our modeling results indicate that little equilibrium isotopic fractionation for Zr is expected during magmatic differentiation and zircon crystallization. We show through isotopic transport modeling that the Zr isotopic variations that were documented in igneous rocks are likely due to diffusion-driven kinetic isotopic fractionation. The two settings where this could take place are (i) diffusion-limited crystallization of zircon (DLC model) and (ii) diffusion-triggered crystallization of zircon (DTC model) in the boundary layer created by the growth of Zr-poor minerals. Fractional crystallization of zircons enriched in light Zr isotopes by diffusion can drive residual magmas toward heavy Zr isotopic compositions. Our diffusive transport model gives the framework to interpret Zr isotope data and gain new insights into the cooling history of igneous rocks and the setting of zircon crystallization.

Type: Article
Title: Evidence from Ab Initio and Transport Modeling for Diffusion-Driven Zirconium Isotopic Fractionation in Igneous Rocks
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1021/acsearthspacechem.0c00146
Publisher version: https://doi.org/10.1021/acsearthspacechem.0c00146
Language: English
Additional information: This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions.
Keywords: isotopes, equilibrium fractionation, diffusive transport, zirconium, hafnium
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences > Dept of Earth Sciences
URI: https://discovery-pp.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10121608
Downloads since deposit
6,335Downloads
Download activity - last month
Download activity - last 12 months
Downloads by country - last 12 months

Archive Staff Only

View Item View Item