Radioanalytical techniques for quaternary dating

第四纪年代测定的放射分析技术

• 批准号: 90235-2009
• 负责人: Cornett, Jack
• 金额: $ 1.6万
• 依托单位: University of Ottawa
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2015
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2015-01-01 至 2016-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=569010
• 关键词: Radioanalytical; techniques; quaternary; dating

The global long-term goals of this research program are: (1) to develop new radiochemical analytical techniques and (2) to apply improved radiometric techniques for dating environmental samples from the Quaternary. The determination of the age of environmental samples is not simple when events are older than recorded history; yet it is fundamental to many aspects of environmental science. Historical chronologies of many environmental processes can be developed by aging samples. For example, atmospheric and groundwater transport, as well as rock and sediment ages, interpreted using geochemical theories, can be used to reconstruct temporal trends, to determine rates of environmental change, and to test models of environmental processes. Radiometric dates can be obtained using either the radioactive decay of a nucleus or the rate of production of a given isotope by a nuclear reaction that occurs at a constant and known rate. The dating of many young Quaternary samples has proven difficult because high precision measurements on closed systems are not possible. In older systems, accurate dates often prove difficult because most 14C has already decayed or the initial activity is uncertain, and other techniques often violate the requirements of a closed system. This research will provide new ways to measure radionuclides and more robust dating techniques for Quaternary materials covering a wide range of ages. These techniques will be used to in environmental assessments, climate change studies, ecological impact statements and other applications where it is important to look at the longer term behaviour of a system and the impact of human and natural events on that system.

该研究项目的全球长期目标是：(1)开发新的放射化学分析技术；(2)应用改进的放射测定技术来测定第四纪环境样品的年代。当事件比有记录的历史更早时，确定环境样本的年龄并不简单；然而，它是环境科学许多方面的基础。许多环境过程的历史年表可以通过老化样品来开发。例如，利用地球化学理论解释的大气和地下水输送以及岩石和沉积物年龄可用于重建时间趋势，确定环境变化的速率，并测试环境过程的模型。