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Advances in Isotope Ratio Determination by LA–ICP–MS

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LA–ICP–MS has proven to be an extremely important analytical tool within the Earth, environmental, and archaeological sciences. New developments in both instrumentation and methodology now provide the ability to extract age and isotopic tracer information in situ at a variety of scales (from nm to cm), in 2- and 3-dimensions, quickly and cost-effectively, providing considerable analytical flexibility compared to other micro-analytical techniques. Here, we review the current state of the art in laser ablation isotope ratio determination and provide some insights into future developments.

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December 2025 --The Variscan Orogeny in Europe – Understanding Supercontinent Formation

The Variscan orogen formed between 380 and 300 million years ago through several accretionary and collisional cycles, culminating with the construction of the Pangea supercontinent. This process occurred via sequential opening and closure of oceanic basins, synchronous detachment of Gondwana derived continental ribbons, and their outboard amalgamation onto the Laurussia margin. The Variscan orogen is rather unique compared with other orogenic belts on Earth: its overthickened and dominantly magmatic crust in the central belt, surprisingly minor mantle involvement in the magmatic and geodynamic processes, coherent and pulsed magmatism along the collision suture, and its complex accretionary history. Because its final product, Pangea, is the youngest and best-understood supercontinent on Earth, the Variscan orogeny offers clues for understanding the mechanisms of supercontinent formation.