Incremental Heating

Samples of zircon, monazite, rutile, or apatite may be incrementally heated for (U-Th)/He thermochronology.  Grains are encapsulated in 1 mm Nb capsules and heated with a diode laser with temperature regulation via either optical pyrometer or thermocouple.  Evolved gas may be measured by the quadrupole or Noblesse mass spectrometers.