First results on radiometric dating of metals by alpha spectrometry

J. Cruz; E Figueiredo; V. Corregidor; P. I. Girginova; L. C. Alves; C. Cruz; R. J C Silva; I. Liritzis

doi:10.1016/j.microc.2015.10.001

First results on radiometric dating of metals by alpha spectrometry

J. Cruz, E Figueiredo, V. Corregidor, P. I. Girginova, L. C. Alves, C. Cruz, R. J C Silva, I. Liritzis

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

A new TSAC (Thick Source Alpha Particle Counting spectrometry) setup of high geometrical efficiency and low intrinsic background was built to measure the alpha particles coming from the ²³⁸U and ²³²Th decay chains radionuclides with concentrations down to the ppm level. It was designed to test the ²²⁶Ra/²³⁰Th method, which is the only direct metal dating method proposed to date. Micro-PIXE, micro-RBS and SEM-EDS were used as complementary analytical techniques in order to search for heterogeneities and/or impurities that could bias the TSAC data. Ores, resulting slags and metallic prills from two recent smelting experiments that reproduced ancient techniques and two ancient coins were studied to determine how radionuclides fractionation occurs during smelting. With this TSAC setup the background signal was extremely low, but comparable to the signal from the measured metals. Preliminary results show no evidence of a preferential depletion of ²²⁶Ra in a melted metal with respect to the other radionuclides.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	608-614
Number of pages	7
Journal	Microchemical Journal
Volume	124
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.microc.2015.10.001
Publication status	Published - 1 Jan 2016
Event	TECHNART Conference - Catania, Italy Duration: 27 Apr 2015 → 30 Apr 2015

Keywords

Ra
Alpha spectrometry
Dating metals
Ores
Slags
Uranium

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title = "First results on radiometric dating of metals by alpha spectrometry",

abstract = "A new TSAC (Thick Source Alpha Particle Counting spectrometry) setup of high geometrical efficiency and low intrinsic background was built to measure the alpha particles coming from the 238U and 232Th decay chains radionuclides with concentrations down to the ppm level. It was designed to test the 226Ra/230Th method, which is the only direct metal dating method proposed to date. Micro-PIXE, micro-RBS and SEM-EDS were used as complementary analytical techniques in order to search for heterogeneities and/or impurities that could bias the TSAC data. Ores, resulting slags and metallic prills from two recent smelting experiments that reproduced ancient techniques and two ancient coins were studied to determine how radionuclides fractionation occurs during smelting. With this TSAC setup the background signal was extremely low, but comparable to the signal from the measured metals. Preliminary results show no evidence of a preferential depletion of 226Ra in a melted metal with respect to the other radionuclides.",

keywords = "Ra, Alpha spectrometry, Dating metals, Ores, Slags, Uranium",

author = "J. Cruz and E Figueiredo and V. Corregidor and Girginova, {P. I.} and Alves, {L. C.} and C. Cruz and Silva, {R. J C} and I. Liritzis",

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AU - Cruz, J.

AU - Figueiredo, E

AU - Corregidor, V.

AU - Girginova, P. I.

AU - Alves, L. C.

AU - Cruz, C.

AU - Silva, R. J C

AU - Liritzis, I.

N1 - Sem PDF.

PY - 2016/1/1

Y1 - 2016/1/1

N2 - A new TSAC (Thick Source Alpha Particle Counting spectrometry) setup of high geometrical efficiency and low intrinsic background was built to measure the alpha particles coming from the 238U and 232Th decay chains radionuclides with concentrations down to the ppm level. It was designed to test the 226Ra/230Th method, which is the only direct metal dating method proposed to date. Micro-PIXE, micro-RBS and SEM-EDS were used as complementary analytical techniques in order to search for heterogeneities and/or impurities that could bias the TSAC data. Ores, resulting slags and metallic prills from two recent smelting experiments that reproduced ancient techniques and two ancient coins were studied to determine how radionuclides fractionation occurs during smelting. With this TSAC setup the background signal was extremely low, but comparable to the signal from the measured metals. Preliminary results show no evidence of a preferential depletion of 226Ra in a melted metal with respect to the other radionuclides.

AB - A new TSAC (Thick Source Alpha Particle Counting spectrometry) setup of high geometrical efficiency and low intrinsic background was built to measure the alpha particles coming from the 238U and 232Th decay chains radionuclides with concentrations down to the ppm level. It was designed to test the 226Ra/230Th method, which is the only direct metal dating method proposed to date. Micro-PIXE, micro-RBS and SEM-EDS were used as complementary analytical techniques in order to search for heterogeneities and/or impurities that could bias the TSAC data. Ores, resulting slags and metallic prills from two recent smelting experiments that reproduced ancient techniques and two ancient coins were studied to determine how radionuclides fractionation occurs during smelting. With this TSAC setup the background signal was extremely low, but comparable to the signal from the measured metals. Preliminary results show no evidence of a preferential depletion of 226Ra in a melted metal with respect to the other radionuclides.

KW - Ra

KW - Alpha spectrometry

KW - Dating metals

KW - Ores

KW - Slags

KW - Uranium

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SN - 0026-265X

VL - 124

SP - 608

EP - 614

JO - Microchemical Journal

JF - Microchemical Journal

T2 - TECHNART Conference

Y2 - 27 April 2015 through 30 April 2015

ER -

First results on radiometric dating of metals by alpha spectrometry

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Keywords

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