VizualAge
The latest version of VizualAge can always be obtained from this website. If you experience any problems at all or have a suggestion please do not hesitate to contact me.
If you use VizualAge for your research, please cite it as:
Petrus, J.A. and Kamber, B.S. (2012), VizualAge: A Novel Approach to Laser Ablation ICP-MS U-Pb Geochronology Data Reduction. Geostandards and Geoanalytical Research, 36: 247-270.
If you use VizualAge_UcomPbine for your research, please cite it as:
Chew, D.M., Petrus, J.A. and Kamber, B.S. (2014), U–Pb LA–ICPMS dating using accessory mineral standards with variable common Pb. Chemical Geology, 363: 185-199.
***Please also cite the appropriate Iolite/U-Pb geochronology DRS publications, e.g., Paton et al. 2010, 2011***
New in 2018:
- Updated to work with Igor 7.
- Code now hosted and downloadable from github
- Updated to work with Iolite 3.1
- Limited support for plotting when using Iolite's U-Pb DRS. E.g., should be able to use standard live/static concordia features.
- Note: The VA DRS has not been updated to reflect the latest changes to Iolite's U-Pb DRS
- Note: VA is not yet aware of linked selections (introduced in Iolite 3.1)
- Updated to work with Iolite 3
- Updated histogram construction to include kernel density estimate, among other things
- Added alpha-dose calculation to DRS
Previous versions:
VizualAge 2015.06
VizualAge 2014.10
VizualAge 2013.02
VizualAge 20120529 beta
VizualAge 20110829 beta FAQ:
1. I ran the VizualAge installer, but nothing works. What gives?
This is most often related to insufficient permissions to make changes in "Program Files". Try starting Igor Pro as an administrator (i.e. right-click on its short cut and select "run as administrator") and then opening the VizualAge installer.
If this doesn't work or isn't an option for you: simply copy VisualAge.ipf, VisualAgeCalc.ipf, and VisualAgePlotting.ipf to the Iolite "Add ons" folder, and copy VisualAgeDRS.ipf to the Iolite "Data Reduction Schemes" folder.
2. If I calculate a 7/6 age for the outputted 7/6 ratio it is different from the outputted 7/6 age. What gives?
Consider the following...
| 207/206 Ratio | 207/206 Age |
| 0.120 | 1956220000 |
| 0.115 | 1879880000 |
| 0.125 | 2028800000 |
| 0.126 | 2042890000 |
| 0.114 | 1864130000 |
| 0.117 | 1910890000 |
| 0.122 | 1985680000 |
| 0.123 | 2000190000 |
| 0.127 | 2056860000 |
| 0.1221 | 1987140000 |
The average 207/206 ratio is 0.12111, which corresponds to an age of 1972.64 Ma. The average 207/206 age is 1971.268 Ma. This is the effect you're seeing, since VizualAge calculates a 207/206 age for each individual time-slice of data and then averages that.
3. So... if they're different, which should I use?
Probably stick with the age corresponding to the average ratio. A long term goal of VizualAge is to more elegantly handle this. Suggestions are welcome.
4. VisualAge or VizualAge?
We're calling it VizualAge now since IBM makes something called VisualAge. Do not be alarmed if you see VizualAge being referred to as VisualAge in documentation, on this website, or anywhere else.