The use of in-situ cosmogenic ^(21)Ne in studies on long-term landscape development

摘要

Cosmogenic Ne isotopes are stable and are routinely used for constraining the timing of events and the rate of surface change beyond the limit that can be studied with radionuclides ^(10)Be,^(26)Al, and ^(36)Cl. Cosmogenic Ne analysis can be used in quartz and in a range of other minerals. Analysis typically requires significantly less material than do cosmogenic ^(10)Be and^(26)Al, opening up the technique for small samples—individual pebbles in river sediments, for example. Analysis is easier and faster than for radionuclides, not least because Ne measurements do not require significant chemical procedures. However, the presence of other sources of Ne in minerals tends to restrict the use of cosmogenic ^(21)Ne to old landscapes and long exposure durations. In this review we briefly outline the background of cosmogenic Ne production in rocks and minerals at the Earth's surface, then document the key uses of the technique by highlighting some earlier studies, and finish with a short perspective on the future of the technique.