The study of the zircon involves materials scientists and geoscientists from sub-disciplines including stable and radiogenic isotope geochemistry, sedimentology, igneous and metamorphic petrology, trace element geochemistry and experimental mineralogy. Over the past thirty years, the more instrumental techniques and analytical procedures have advanced, the more zircon has increased its central role in Earth and Planetary Sciences. First ID-TIMS and then other micro-beam techniques such as SIMS, LA-ICP-MS and SHRIMP have made it possible to resolve the chronology of Earth’s geological events from the oldest to the most recent. Besides, highly detailed image analysis of zircon zoning first obtained through SEM (CL and VPSE detectors) is essential to identify specific geological events (magmatic and metamorphic growth) by discerning significant clusters of isotopic age data. In geosciences, the power of zircon isotopic dating finds its greatest application in reconstructing the evolution of mountain ranges and, in the last fifteen years, issues pertaining to the evolution of the major ranges in Southern Italy (Apennine Chain and the Calabria-Peloritani Orogen), have begun to be clarified thanks to zircon geochronology and its geochemistry. Accordingly, U-Pb spot ages on detrital zircons from turbiditic successions have helped to tighten the timing of tectono-sedimentary stages during Apennine orogeny and constrain the detrital sources (Fornelli et al., 2021 and references therein). In light of these recently acquired geochronological data, new paleogeographic scenarios can be envisaged for the setting of sedimentary basins during Apennine tectonics. On the other hand, U–Pb data on zircon from metaigneous and metasedimentary rocks have contributed to understand the peri-Gondwanan evolution from Late-Proterozoic to Paleozoic of the Calabria-Peloritani Orogen, a key sector of the Southern Variscan Belt (Fornelli et al. 2020 and references therein), thanks to the ability of zircon to preserve memory of former detrital, igneous and metamorphic events thought amphibolite-granulite facies Paleozoic metamorphism.
Francesca Micheletti is a Geologist, PhD Researcher in Petrology and Petrography. Since 2001 she is working at the Earth Sciences and Geo-environmental Department of the “Aldo Moro” University in Bari (Southern Italy). Her research activity focus on: Petrological evolution of the Variscan continental crust, modelling of the chemical composition of the continental crust, geochemical behavior of chemical elements in increasing metamorphic grade in metapelites , study of distribution and behavior of trace and REE elements in zircon, garnet, pyroxene, feldspar and apatite by LA-ICP-MS, neoproterozoic-Cambrian acidic and mafic magmatism, U-Pb geochronology on zircon crystals: a) separation of heavy minerals using high density liquids, b) image analysis (BSE, CL and VPSE detectors) and c) spot dating by SIMS and LA-ICP-MS, detrital zircons dating and paleogeographic reconstructions, evaluation of quartz sandstones for industrial applications, petro-archaeometry. Teaching activity at Bari University in Geological and Natural Sciences courses for past fifteen years.
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