Name: Yeung Siu Hung

UID: 2006617025

OSL data Lab report

Luminescence dating practice: 1. What is the most important requirement during sampling Luminescence dating is the technique to determine the age of the geological feature like rock and soil. Indeed, particular soil or rock fragments consist of certain amount of radiation once they formed. During the optical luminescence test, short wave length light beam stimulate the sample to release the stored radiation. Since the OSL signal is very light sensitive, the sample should be maintained in a dark condition. Meanwhile, during sampling, the sample we choose should be in cover condition that the sample does not expose to the day light to reduce the chance of overestimation of OSL. 2. How to separate quartz and feldspar in the sedimentary samples. First of all, it is necessary to add HCL and H2O2 to remove the carbonate and organic materials inside the sample. Then, the heavy liquid with different density (eg. 2.58g/cm-3, 2.62g/cm-3 or 2.75g/cm-3) can be used to separate the quartz, K-feldspar and plagioclase. For the 2.58g/cm-3 liquid, K-feldspar would be floating of the top while plagioclase and quartz sink at the bottom. After that, HF acid is used to separate quartz and plagioclase as well as removing the outer layer of the quartz. Finally, the 2.62g/cm-3 is used, quartz would sink at the bottom while plagioclase float. 3. The main sources of annual dose in natural environment. a. Uranium-238 & 235 and their daughters which emit , , radiation b. Thorium-232 and its daughters which emit, , radiation c. Potassium-40 which emit, radiation d. Cosmic ray from space. 4. During the laboratory, which type of sample is the most reactive to HCl? Sand from the beach is the most reactive one. During the test, HCl react with carbonate containing materials to give bubbles. The amount of bubbles and the its reaction is much drastic. It is because the beach sand is always contains shells and marine sediments containing calcite which are carbonate rich. 5. Calculate the age of the sample.

Name: Yeung Siu Hung

UID: 2006617025

OSL data Lab report

The graph of OSL intensity against Dose Gy for Paleo dose:

From the graph, the mostly linear relationship show that the paleo-dose is about 7.69Gy. Given that, Annual dose: 2.8 Gy/Ka Age(yr) = Equivalent dose / Annual dose rate = 7.69/2.8 = 2.7 Ka 6. Description about K-feldspar and quartz under microscope. Quartz: Angular individual crystal, colorless or white, transparent occasionl with white streaks, glassy or luster. K-feldspar: Rounded individual crystal, yellow to yellowish brown, creamy light colour with vitreous luster. 7. As to quartz, compare the dose rate different grain sizes with the same irradiation. With the greater grain size, the dose rate signal would be greater.