A method for determining argon isotopes in a continuous helium flow for K/Ar geochronology

A new method for the measurement of the argon isotope composition in a continuous helium flow using isotope mass spectrometers is described for potassium-argon geochronology. Argon was extracted from the samples in a chamber with a multiple-sample holder by successively heating the samples with a continuous infrared laser. Argon extracted in the chamber was preconcentrated in a capillary, separated on a chromatographic capillary column in a helium flow, and then injected into the ion source of a mass spectrometer through an open splitter. Measurements of the 36 Ar, 38 Ar, and 40 Ar isotopes were carried out on isotope mass spectrometers in a dynamic mode using a triple-collector ion detector and three electrometric amplifiers. Preliminary experiments on the developed device for measuring argon isotopes in a continuous helium flow have shown that the proposed method can be used for the determination of radiogenic argon in an amount of n × 10 −12 g with the accuracy satisfying the solution of many geochronological problems. In sensitivity and reproducibility, the proposed method is highly competitive to the isotope dilution method for measuring argon and simpler than the conventional methods for measuring radiogenic argon.