Radon assessment with solid-state nuclear track detectors in Bucharest and its surrounding region

摘要

Luminescence dating exploits the dosimetric properties of mineral grains found inarchaeological and geological materials of interest. The use of luminescence dating in archaeometrystretches back more than half a century, starting with thermoluminescence (TL) dating of heatedartifacts. The subsequent development of optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating andprotocols such as the single aliquot regeneration protocol (SAR) have increased the accuracy andprecision of luminescence dating significantly. Quartz-based SAR-OSL dating is now generallyconsidered as a reliable chronological tool, and it is increasingly used in a wide variety of(geo)archaeological studies. Optical dating of quartz has recently been implemented at Babe-BolyaiUniversity (Cluj-Napoca, Romania). This paper documents the instruments and methods as used inthis newly-established state of the art luminescence dating laboratory.