A practical method of estimating standard error of age in the fission track dating method

A first-order approximation formula for the propagation of error in the fission track age equation is given by Psub(A) = C[P2sub(s) + P2sub(i) + P2sub(phi)- 2rPsub(s)Psub(i)]sup(1/2), where Psub(A), Psub(s), Psub(i) and Psub(phi) are the percentage error of age, of spontaneous track density, of induced track density, and of neutron dose, respectively, and C is a constant. The correlation, r, between spontaneous and induced track densities is a crucial element in the error analysis, acting generally to improve the standard error of age. In addition, the correlation parameter r is instrumental in specifying the level of neutron dose, a controlled variable, which will minimize the standard error of age. The results from the approximation equation agree closely with the results from an independent statistical model for the propagation of errors in the fission-track dating method. (author)