Some aspects of single-grain luminescence dating

Single-grain methods of luminescence dating have been developed in order to circumvent problems of variability among aliquots of the sample being date d. Sufficient single grains must be separated in order to make an appropria te interpretation of the variability among such grains. We describe an auto mated apparatus for sorting grains for routine age determinations by green light stimulation. The sorted grains are then available for study of their collective luminescence physics characteristics. Examples are given of stat istical frequency functions of grain brightness obtained with the apparatus and their interpretation. These frequency functions are lognormal or simil ar, covering up to four orders of magnitude, with consequent implications f or luminescence dating application. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All righ ts reserved.