Development and Application of Luminescence to Earth and Planetary Sciences: Some Landmarks

Abstract

Luminescence, mainly thermoluminescence (TL) and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL), has been researched for more than five decades towards its application to earth and planetary sciences. Luminescence production mechanism has been understood through several theoretical studies, like analytical kinetic theory, numerical models along with the experimental results. Instrument development has progressed with aim from user friendly TL/OSL reader dedicated for dating to challenging reader forin-situMartian sediment dating. Since the development of optical dating in 1985, the technique revolutionised the research in earth sciences. And since then to recent, many methodologies have been developed and some are in developing stage using different signals, like, single grain OSL, red TL, time resolved OSL, thermally transferred OSL (TT-OSL), post infrared-infrared stimulated luminescence (pIR-IRSL), violet light stimulated luminescence (VSL), infrared radioluminescence (IRRL), etc. with an objective to improve the accuracy and precision and to extend the dating range. The wide range of application in different environment, e.g. aeolian, fluvial, marine, glacier, soil, volcanic materials, heated materials, shocked materials, meteorites, etc. have made the technique successful to understand the quaternary history of earth and planetary information like terrestrial and cosmic ray exposure ages of meteorite, meteoroid orbit, thermal metamorphism history of meteorite etc. The aim of this present paper is to discuss some landmarks and recent trends in the development and application in these areas. Contents of the Paper