SEM investigations of Cr-39 and mica-muscovite solid state nuclear track detectors

摘要

Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was used in four different variants toinvestigate the trace distribution of alpha particles on an allyl diglycol carbonate (ADC) CR-39 aswell as the fission fragments on a mica muscovite solid state nuclear trace detectors (SSNTD). Bothwere used to determine the absolute age of the manganese nodules. All images reveled with claritythe characteristic circular shape of cellulose acetate traces as well as the typical parallelogram-liketraces of mica muscovite detectors. Corresponding image histograms were used to select the bestSEM images acquisition variant. Consequently, in the case of ADC detector the secondary electronsimage showed the best contrast, while in the case of the mica detector the secondary electrons, bothback scattered topographic and combined images presented a comparable contrast. This findingrecommends SEM as an appropriate method to be used in conjunction with SSNTD investigation ofthe absolute geochronology of polymetallic nodules.