Zircon thermochronology is a technique used to study the thermal history of rocks by analyzing the diffusion of radiogenic isotopes within zircon crystals. This method is significant in tectonics and geochronology for understanding the cooling and exhumation history of rocks, the timing of tectonic events, and the evolution of mountain belts.
Reference: Reiners, P. W., & Brandon, M. T. (2006). “Zircon (U-Th)/He Thermochronometry.” Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry, 58(1), 151-179.