Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-m6dg7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-07T23:30:07.423Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Determination of Radon by Liquid Scintillation α/β Particle Spectrometry: Towards the Resolution of a 14C Dating Problem

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 July 2016

Henry Polach  and
Lauri Kaihola
Henry Polach
Affiliation:
Australian National University, GPO Box 4, Canberra 2601, Australia
Lauri Kaihola
Affiliation:
Wallac Oy, PO Box 10, 20101 Turku 10, Finland
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Traces of uranium and radium within the 14C sample generate radon (Rn) which gets occluded during the benzene synthesis, thus generating false (extra) counts within the 14C counting window. This, if undetected, gives rise to erroneous 14C age determinations. The application of simultaneous α and β liquid scintillation spectrometry will enable a mathematical evaluation of the 14C signal unaffected by α and β particle emissions from radon decay daughters.

Type
Research Article
Information
Radiocarbon , Volume 30 , Issue 1 , 1988 , pp. 19 - 24
Copyright
Copyright © The American Journal of Science 

References

Barker, H, 1953, Radiocarbon dating: large scale preparation of acetylene: Nature, v 172, p 631–632.Google Scholar
Gupta, S K and Polach, H A, 1985, Radiocarbon dating practices at ANU: Australian National University, Canberra, 176 p.Google Scholar
Ivanovich, M and Harmon, R S, eds, 1982, Uranium series disequilibrium: applications to environmental problems: Oxford, Clarendon Press, 571 p.Google Scholar
Lederer, C M and Shirley, V S, eds, 1978, Table of isotopes (7th ed): New York, John Wiley & Sons, 870 p.Google Scholar
Oikari, T, Kojola, H, Nurmi, J and Kaihola, L, 1987, Simultaneous counting of low alpha and beta particle activity with liquid scintillation spectrometry and pulse shape analysis: Internatl Jour Appl Radiation Isotopes, v 38, no. 9, in press.Google Scholar
Noakes, J E, Kim, S M and Stipp, J J, 1965, Chemical and counting advances in liquid scintillation age dating, in Chatters, R M and Olson, E A, eds, Internatl conf on radiocarbon and tritium dating, 6th, Proc: Clearing House for Fed Sci & Tech Inf, NBS, Washington DC, USAEC, CONF-650652, p 53–67.Google Scholar
Nydal, R, 1983, The radon problem in 14C dating, in Stuiver, M and Kra, R S, Internatl 14C conf, 11th, Proc: Radiocarbon, v 25, no. 2, p 501–510.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Polach, H A, 1987, Perspectives in radiocarbon dating by radiometry, in AMS '87, Anno Decimo: Nuclear Instruments & Methods, sec B, in press.Google Scholar
Tamers, M, 1965, Routine carbon-14 dating using liquid scintillation techniques, in Chatters, R M and Olson, E A, eds, Internatl conf on radiocarbon and tritium dating, 6th, Proc: Clearing House for Fed Sci & Tech Inf, NBS, Washington DC, USAEC, CONF-650652, p 68–92.Google Scholar
Vries, H de, 1957, The removal of radon from CO2 for use in 14C age measurements: Appl Sci Research, sec B, v 6, p 461–470.Google Scholar