Development and Documentation of a Computer Program for Noble Gas Data Reduction

Berkeley Geochronology Center, Berkeley CA

Investigators

Abstract

0125758 Deino An extensive data-reduction program for analysis of 40Ar/39Ar data is already in the beta testing phase at the Berkeley Geochronology Center (BGC) and other laboratories. Support from this grant add important, high-level data interpretation features, as well as producing detailed documentation suitable for public dissemination. These features will include: 1) an Arrhenius plotting program to evaluate argon diffusion experiments, 2) linkage of step-heating spectra directly to isochron analysis, so that the identification of a plateau can be based on isochron MSWD's, and also that non-zero intercepts can be fed back directly into the plateau program to generate appropriate plateau and integrated ages, 3) optional text-file input of spectrometer data in a standard format, and 4) data reduction capability for non-Ar Noble gasses. Expanded user support for this program will include a detailed, redundantly-indexed, PDF-format manual and on-line support in the form of help screens as well as Balloon Help on Mac OS systems up to 9.1, and Tool Tips on Mac OS X. As envisioned, the manual will be suitable as a web-available teaching tool for graduate-level classes in isotope geology. ***