Articles | Volume 19, issue 14
https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-19-6571-2026
https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-19-6571-2026
Development and technical paper
 | 
21 Jul 2026
Development and technical paper |  | 21 Jul 2026

Modelling diffusion, decay and ingrowth of U–Pb isotopes in zircon

Ben S. Knight and Chris Clark

Model code and software

bknight1/UWDiffusion: Multicomponent diffusion Ben Knight https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18870452

underworld3 Louis Moresi et al. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16838572

bknight1/diffusion_problems: GMD resubmission Ben Knight https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17936675

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Short summary
This study examines how high temperatures can alter the geochemical record in zircon crystals used to date rock events. Using computer simulations, we model how movement of atoms, radioactive decay, and the formation of new elements interact in a zircon under changing heat conditions. Our simulation is compared with measurements from rocks in southern India to estimate temperature history of the region. The work aims to improve insights from rock dating and our understanding of Earth's past.
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