Some of the areas of research at the Center include:
Garnet Geochronology
Garnets contain the “tree-rings” of tectonic and metamorphic processes. Each garnet crystal is a history book spanning potentially millions of years waiting to be read and interpreted – the bigger the garnet, the longer the history. In this way, garnets contain otherwise inaccessible information about evolving prograde metamorphic conditions, processes, and their driving forces. We have developed integrated methodologies to chemically map, microsample, and date the growth of zoned garnets using the Sm-Nd isotopic system. New TIMS analytical developments permit precise measurement of very small quantities of Neodymium (Nd) isotopes permitting high resolution geochronology on multiple concentric growth zones within single garnet crystals. Individual age precision better than ±1 million years is now usually achieved.
Center for Isotope Geochemistry at Boston College 