We examine how crystal defects, like mineral inclusions and lattice misorientations, affect the accuracy of zircon (U-Th)/He dating, a method used to determine the thermal history of rocks. We find that the zircon grains contained inclusions of apatite and showed slight misalignments in their crystal structure. These features may influence the way Helium (He) moves through the zircon, leading to scattered or overdispersed (U-Th)/He dates.

The study used new techniques to map the distribution of the daughter isotope (He) as well as parent isotopes (U and Th) within individual zircon grains, providing more detailed insights into how defects affect the age dating analyses. The results show that samples with more deformation and strain had younger (U-Th)/He ages, suggesting that the He closure temperature in zircon can vary depending on its deformation history. This research emphasizes the importance of considering crystal defects when interpreting (U-Th)/He data and suggests that in-situ mapping of isotopes can help improve our understanding of how these minerals behave in complex geological settings.