Abstract
Forward modeling of fission track annealing of apatites is used together with basin modeling to estimate past heat flow and amount of erosion. For a known uranium concentration the track length histogram and the surface track density, hold information on the thermal history of the minerals. An equation is developed which is used to determine the number of horizontal (relative to prismatic faces) tracks in the histogram that has been generated after deposition. The post-sedimentary thermal history of the sample is calculated by a ID-basin model with an initial estimate on the paleoheat flow. The thermal history then is used to calculate the track length histogram including distribution of track lengths caused by distribution of energy of fission products and anisotropy. Adjustments of the paleoheat flow or the erosion depth are performed to obtain a better match between the calculated and measured track length histograms (post-sedimentary stage).The modeling is applied to the Danish North Sea well D-l.Fission track measurements on apatite are available at three depths.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsPreview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Bertagnolli, E., Keil, R., and Pahl, M.,1983, Thermal history and length distribution of fission tracks in apatite, Part 1: Nucl. Tracks., v. 7, no. 4., p. 163–177.
Buchardt, B., 1978, Oxygen isotope palaeotemperatures from Tertiary Period in the North Sea areas: Nature, v. 275, no.5675, p. 121–123.
Duddy, I.R., Green, P.F., and Laslett, G.M.,1988, Thermal annealing of fission tracks in apatite 3. Variable temperature behavior: Chemical Geology, v.73, no. 1, p. 25–38.
Geological Survey of Denmark,1981, Well Data Summary Sheets, volume 1: Geological Survey Denmark, 166 p.
Gleadow, A.J.W., Duddy, I.R., and Lovering, J.F.,1983, Fission track analysis: a new tool for the evaluation of thermal histories and hydrocarbon potential: Aust. Pet. Eng. Assoc. Jour., v. 23, p. 93–102.
Green, P.F., Duddy, I.R., Gleadow, A.J.W., Tingate, P.R., and Laslett, G.M.,1985, Fission track annealing in apatite: track length measurements and the form of the Arrhenius plot: Nucl. Tracks, v. 10, no.3, p. 323–328.
Green, P.F., Duddy, I.R., Gleadow, A.J.W., Tingate, P.R., and Laslett, G.M.,1986, Thermal annealing of fission tracks in apatite, 1. a qualitative description: Chemical Geology, v. 59, no. 4, p. 237–253.
Green, P.F., Duddy, I.R., Laslett, G.M., Hegarty, K.A., Gleadow, A.J.W., and Lovering, J.F., 1989, Thermal annealing of fission tracks in apatite 4. Quantitative modelling technique and extension to geological timescales: Chemical Geology, v. 79, no. 4, p. 155–182.
Hansen, K., 1990, The Fennoscandian border zone; Thermal and tectonic history of a tuffaceous sandstone from Bornholm: submitted to Terra Nova.
Huntsberger, T.L., and Lerche, I., 1987, Determination of paleoheat flux from fission scar tracks in apatite: Jour. Petroleum Geology, v. 10, no. 4, p. 365–394.
Jensen, P.K., 1990, Analysis of the temperature field around salt diapirs: Geothermics, v. 19, no. 3, p.273–283.
Jensen, P.K., Hansen, K., and Kunzendorf, H., 1990, A numerical model for the thermal history of rocks based on confined horizontal fission tracks: submitted to Nucl. Tracks.
Keil, R., Pahl, M., and Bertagnolli, E., 1987, Thermal history and length distribution of fission tracks: Part II: Nucl. Tracks Radiat. Meas., v. 13,no.1., p. 25–34.
Laslett, G.M., Kendall, W.S., Gleadow, A.J.W., and Duddy, I.R., 1982, Bias in measurement of fission-track length distributions: Nucl. Tracks, v. 6, no. 213, p.79–85.
Lerche, I.,1988, Inversion of multiple thermal indicators: Quantitative methods of determining paleoheat flux and geological parameters. I. Theoretical development for paleo heat flux: Jour. Math. Geology, v. 20,no.1,p. 1–36.
Mckenzie, D.,1978, Some remarks on the development of sedimentary basins: Earth and Planetary Sci. Lett., v. 40, no. 1, p.25–32.
Middleton, M.F.,1982, The subsidence and thermal history of the Bass Basin, South Eastern Australia: Tectonophysics, v. 87, no. 1–4, p. 383–397.
Silk, E.C.H., and Barnes, R.S., 1959, Examination of fission fragment tracks with an electron microscope: Phil. Mag. v.4, p. 970–971.
Ungerer, P., Bessis, F., Chenet, P.Y., Durand, B., Nogaret, E., Chiarelli, A., Oudin, J.L., and Perren, J.F., 1984, Geological and geochemical models in oil exploration; principles and practical examples: Am. Assoc. Petroleum Geologists Bull., v. 35, no. 1, p. 53–77.
Vejbsek, O.V.,1989, Effects on asthenospheric heat flow in basin modelling exemplified with the Danish Basin: Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., v. 95, no. 1–2, p. 97–114.
Wagner, G.A., 1968, Fission track dating of apatites: Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., v. 4, no. 5, p. 411–415.
Young, D.A., 1958, Etching radiation damage in lithium fluoride: Nature, v. 182, no.4632, p. 375–377.
Yiikler, M.A., Cornford, C., and Welte, D., 1978, One dimensional model to simulate geologic hydrodynamic and thermodynamic development of a sedimentary basin: Geol. Rundschau, B. 67, Heft 3, p. 960–979.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1993 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Jensen, P.K., Bidstrup, T., Hansen, K., Kunzendorf, H. (1993). The Use of Fission Track Measurements in Basin Modeling. In: Harff, J., Merriam, D.F. (eds) Computerized Basin Analysis. Computer Applications in the Earth Sciences. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-2826-5_7
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-2826-5_7
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-6222-7
Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-2826-5
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive