Catalog of radiometric ages of Ecuador

Abstract

Geochronology is a tool of geological cartography and allows determining the age of stratigraphic sequences and intrusive bodies to verify the stratigraphic position of the different geological units represented in the geological maps and propose geological evolution models. In recent decades, the development of geochronology worldwide has allowed increasing knowledge about the history of our planet. In this context, different geochronological information bases were reported in South America. However, a systematized geochronological database in Ecuador has yet to be reported. This work presents the compilation of radiometric ages reported in the continental margin of Ecuador, from the Proterozoic to the Neogene. The data is presented as a catalog of free access and is updateable by the user. One thousand three hundred and twenty-two data are collected and classified considering 1) the geographical position of the samples, 2) the dating method, 3) analyzed material, 4) age, and 5) uncertainty. The dating methods most used in geochronological studies in Ecuador are K-Ar (44.5%), U-Pb-Th (16.9%), ZFT (19.5%), whereas the Ar-Ar (3.2%), Rb-Sr (2.7%), Lu-Hf (1.3%) and Sm-Nd (0.7%) methods were used in specific studies. The collected data set is presented in KML format to facilitate visualization and present the data in a reader-friendly manner.