Methods Detail

OSL Laboratory

The Quaternary Research Group´s laboratory for optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) was opened in 2005 and is dedicated to the study of Late Pleistocene and Holocene sediments, the dating of archaeological sites and also pursues OSL rock surface dating. Since November 2011 Michael Meyer is in charge of the luminescence dating facilities and heading the luminescence geochronology team.

The laboratory consists of preparation facilities and two Risø Readers, one of which is equipped with an attachment for single-grain analysis of quartz and feldspar grains. For determination of the environmental dose rate one Risø GM25-5 beta counter and two Daybreak 583 alpha counters are available as well as a MicroNOMAD field gamma spectrometer with a two inch NaI detector. Furthermore, we host a Hönle SOL 500 solar simulator for various types of bleaching experiments. 

For OSL rock surface dating we are equipped with appropriate drilling and cutting facilities, including two types of low speed saws (a Metcon Micracut 152 and a fully automated STX 202A diamond wire saw), a semi-automated WOKO 50 rock saw, as well as a water cooled Proxxon driller and a Husqvarna DM 220 driller with a DS 150 drill rig.

We also pursue rock surface dating via a 2D high-resolution mapping approach. Towards that end we operate an Evolve 512 EM-CCD camera, fitted with an 830 nm defocused IR laser for IRPL stimulation, a 850 nm IRSL LED stimulation ring for IRSL stimulation plus appropriate filters for IRPL and for IRSL signal detection. The camera, stimulation and detection units are set-up in a light-shielded macro-imaging system.

Current OSL research is detailed here (link).

 

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