Elemental Imaging and Petro-Volcanological Applications of an Improved Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Quadrupole Plasma Mass Spectrometry

Authors

  • Maurizio Petrelli <p>Department of Physics and Geology</p>
  • Daniele Morgavi <p>Department of Physics and Geology</p>
  • Francesco Pasqualino Vetere <p>Department of Physics and Geology</p>
  • Diego Perugini <p>Department of Physics and Geology</p>

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.2451/2015PM0465

Keywords:

laser ablation, la-icp-ms, trace elements, U/Pb geochronology, elemental imaging, figures of merit

Abstract

We report on the performance of the a new LA-ICP-MS instrumentation installed at the Physics and Geology Department of Perugia University empathizing its capabilities in elemental imaging and the progresses in trace element in situ determination and U/Pb geochronology. The analytical device consists in a Thermo Fisher Scientific iCAP Q quadrupole mass spectrometer coupled with a Teledyne/Photon Machine ArF Excimer G2 laser ablation system. Results show that, in trace element configuration at 40 micron, precisions are better than 6.5% whereas accuracies are better than 10%. Results also show improved precisions with respect the X7 + UP213 instrumentation in U/Pb geochronological studies. On this regard, concordia ages for the Plešovice and R33 Zircons analyzed as unknowns are in close agreement with the accepted values for these reference materials highlighting the accuracy of the method. The potentials in 2D element imaging are also reported and successfully tested on a zoned plagioclase from the alkali basaltic Santa Venera lava Flow. Results evidences that expanding the analysis to the second dimension will lead to more reliable and accurate results and it is going to open new prospective for the modeling of igneous systems.

Author Biographies

Maurizio Petrelli, <p>Department of Physics and Geology</p>

University of Perugia

Daniele Morgavi, <p>Department of Physics and Geology</p>

University of Perugia

Francesco Pasqualino Vetere, <p>Department of Physics and Geology</p>

University of Perugia

Diego Perugini, <p>Department of Physics and Geology</p>

University of Perugia

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Published

2015-10-15

Issue

Section

ORIGINAL ARTICLE