Sr/Sr age determination by rapidly formed spherical carbonate concretions.

Isolated spherical carbonate concretions are frequently observed in finer grained marine sediments of widely varying geological age. Recent studies on various kinds of spherical carbonate (CaCO) concretions revealed that they formed very rapidly under tightly constrained conditions. However, the formation ages of the isolated spherical carbonate concretions have never been determined. Here we use Sr/Sr ratios to determine the ages of these spherical concretions. The studied concretions formed in the Yatsuo Group of Miocene age in central Japan. Some formed post-mortem around tusk-shells (Fissidentalium spp.), while other concretions have no shell fossils inside. The deformation of sedimentary layers around the concretions, combined with geochemical analyses, reveal that Sr was incorporated into the CaCO concretions during their rapid formation. Strontium isotopic stratigraphy using Sr/Sr ratios of all concretions indicates an age of 17.02 ± 0.27 Ma, with higher accuracy than the ages estimated using micro-fossils from the Yatsuo Group. The results imply that the Sr/Sr ratio of isolated spherical carbonate concretions can be applied generally to determine the numerical ages of marine sediments, when concretions formed soon after sedimentation. The Sr/Sr age determinations have high accuracy, even in cases without any fossils evidence.