The U-Pb Dating Method Reveals the Secrets of Ancient Karsts in the Paris Basin!
Discover our latest scientific findings on the U-Pb method applied to the phenomenon of karstification in Geology journal and the CNRS newsletter.
Our study demonstrates that the in-situ dating method for very ancient karst speleothems can provide quite precise dates. These datings reveal that the karst in the Oligocene carbonates of the Paris Basin formed 29 million years ago—right after the rock itself! This is a major breakthrough that sheds light on the evolution of landscapes and groundwater systems.
This work is the result of close collaboration with colleagues from BRGM as part of the RGF “Paris Basin” project.
🔗 RGF Paris Basin Project
🔬 Reference:
Moreau, K., Brigaud, B., Andrieu, S., Briais, J., Quesnel, F., 2024. Determining the age and origin of a Tertiary karstic system by in situ U-Pb geochronology on speleothems. Geology 52, 689–694. https://doi.org/10.1130/G52263.1