5 Nuclear dating
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Aim
To understand the past is instrumental for predicting the future. Therefore, dating of objects - be they from human activities or from nature - is of prime interest in science. Radionuclides are the most useful tool to tackle this problem. Their half-lives may be used as a clock to measure elapsed time. However, a number of conditions have to be met for proper application of such dating methods. Our environment is rich in radionuclides, mostly of natural origin but partly also from anthropogenic sources such as nuclear weapons testing or from nuclear accidents. This chapter summarizes applications of such radionuclides for dating purpose. Special emphasis is given to radiocarbon, 14C. For many applications this radioisotope of carbon is the most important dating radionuclide that enables to cover time horizons from the present until about 55,000 years ago. The use of parent/ daughter systems is described as well. Two other short sections address dating via stored signals in the samples from radioactive transformation. These are fission track and thermoluminescence dating.
Aim
To understand the past is instrumental for predicting the future. Therefore, dating of objects - be they from human activities or from nature - is of prime interest in science. Radionuclides are the most useful tool to tackle this problem. Their half-lives may be used as a clock to measure elapsed time. However, a number of conditions have to be met for proper application of such dating methods. Our environment is rich in radionuclides, mostly of natural origin but partly also from anthropogenic sources such as nuclear weapons testing or from nuclear accidents. This chapter summarizes applications of such radionuclides for dating purpose. Special emphasis is given to radiocarbon, 14C. For many applications this radioisotope of carbon is the most important dating radionuclide that enables to cover time horizons from the present until about 55,000 years ago. The use of parent/ daughter systems is described as well. Two other short sections address dating via stored signals in the samples from radioactive transformation. These are fission track and thermoluminescence dating.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Preface V
- Preface for the 2nd edition VII
- Contents IX
- List of contributing auhtors XI
- 1 Radiation measurement 1
- 2 Radiation dosimetry 45
- 3 Elemental analysis by neutron activation: NAA 77
- 4 Radioisotope mass spectrometry 101
- 5 Nuclear dating 137
- 6 Chemical speciation of radionuclides in solution 175
- 7 Radiochemical separations 225
- 8 Radioelements: Actinides 287
- 9 Radioelements: Transactinides 327
- 10 Nuclear energy 369
- 11 Life sciences: Isotope labeling with tritium and carbon-14 433
- 12 Life sciences: Nuclear medicine diagnosis 471
- 13 Life sciences: Therapy 561
- Symbols and abbreviations 613
- Index 625
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Preface V
- Preface for the 2nd edition VII
- Contents IX
- List of contributing auhtors XI
- 1 Radiation measurement 1
- 2 Radiation dosimetry 45
- 3 Elemental analysis by neutron activation: NAA 77
- 4 Radioisotope mass spectrometry 101
- 5 Nuclear dating 137
- 6 Chemical speciation of radionuclides in solution 175
- 7 Radiochemical separations 225
- 8 Radioelements: Actinides 287
- 9 Radioelements: Transactinides 327
- 10 Nuclear energy 369
- 11 Life sciences: Isotope labeling with tritium and carbon-14 433
- 12 Life sciences: Nuclear medicine diagnosis 471
- 13 Life sciences: Therapy 561
- Symbols and abbreviations 613
- Index 625
