The Assessment of Radionuclide Distribution in Silex by Autoradiography in the Context of Dose Rate Determination for Thermoluminescence Dating

Datos Bibliográficos

ID8353302
AutoresChristoph Schmidt (0000-0002-2309-3209, University of Cologne, autor de correspondencia), D Rufer (0000-0001-8966-2737, University of Bern), Frank Preusser (0000-0002-5654-1346, Stockholm University), Matthias Krbetschek (Saxon Academy of Sciences in Leipzig), Alexandra Hilgers (University of Cologne)
Año2013
Volumen55
Número3
Páginas407-422
Fecha de publicación2013-06-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaArchaeometry (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0003-813X • E-ISSN: 1475-4754
EditorialWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/j.1475-4754.2012.00690.x
OpenAlexW1925213855
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas6
Referencias citadas21

A combination of two autoradiography methods was applied to investigate the radionuclide distribution patterns in a range of different silices. We obtained greyscale images (β‐radiation) and α‐track patterns for qualitative assessment, and used a statistical approach to quantify the degree of uniformity of the radiation fields. It was found that almost all samples are poor in potassium, thorium and uranium, and that locally high concentrations are present only in dark‐coloured veins and inclusions. Statistical analyses reveal evidence of radionuclide clustering in more than half of the 21 specimens. Concerning thermoluminescence dating of burnt lithics, such gradients should be taken into account to improve precision and accuracy in cases where the external radiation is not strongly dominating for the sample under consideration

Context (archaeology) · Irradiation · Mineralogy · Nuclear physics · Physics · Radiochemistry · Radionuclide · Thermoluminescence · Thorium · Uranium · Chemistry · Geochemistry and Geologic Mapping · Geological and Geochemical Analysis · Geology · Materials Science · Paleontology · Radiation · Radioactivity and Radon Measurements