The basic principle of radioluminescence dating and a localized transitionmodel

The IR signal of the radioluminescence of potassium feldspars is caused by the luminescent transition of electrons into optically active traps. This a llows the direct determination of the density of trapped electrons and ther efore a method of sediment dating with higher precision and accuracy than c onventional luminescence dating. The principle behind it and its advantages are presented, in particular the fact that it is a real single aliquot dat ing technique. The explanation of both radioluminescence and IR-optically s timulated luminescence (IR-OSL) in terms of a band model is possible after the introduction of a localized transition. In contrast to previous models, the process of dose accumulation in the sediment was simulated using a dos e rate as low as in real sediments. Preheat experiments indicate that the r ecombination centres are the unstable part of the luminescence process. The parameters of these centres are equal to those previously assigned to ther mally unstable electron traps. Furthermore, the sources of systematic error s in conventional IR-OSL dating are discussed. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Lt d. All rights reserved.