Further investigations into the accuracy of infrared radiofluorescence (IR-RF) and its inter-comparison with infrared photoluminescence (IRPL) dating

<p>Infrared radiofluorescence (IR-RF) is an alternative dating technique for potassium feldspar grains, offering a higher signal stability and based on a simpler underlying mechanism than more common luminescence dating approaches. However, its accuracy when tested on known-age samples has so...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: M. Sontag-González, M. K. Murari, M. Jain, M. Frouin, M. Fuchs
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2025-08-01
Series:Geochronology
Online Access:https://gchron.copernicus.org/articles/7/289/2025/gchron-7-289-2025.pdf
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849236637882515456
author M. Sontag-González
M. K. Murari
M. Jain
M. Frouin
M. Fuchs
author_facet M. Sontag-González
M. K. Murari
M. Jain
M. Frouin
M. Fuchs
author_sort M. Sontag-González
collection DOAJ
description <p>Infrared radiofluorescence (IR-RF) is an alternative dating technique for potassium feldspar grains, offering a higher signal stability and based on a simpler underlying mechanism than more common luminescence dating approaches. However, its accuracy when tested on known-age samples has so far shown inconsistent results. In this study, we present a refined accuracy assessment using samples that have previously produced unreliable IR-RF ages. Our approach incorporates two major methodological advancements developed over the past decade: elevated temperature measurements using the IR-RF<span class="inline-formula"><sub>70</sub></span> protocol and sensitivity change correction by vertical sliding. To expand the dose range comparison, we included two additional samples: one expected to be in saturation and another of modern age. Additionally, we evaluated the effect of using a narrower bandpass filter to exclude any signal contributions from potentially contaminating shorter wavelength emissions. Our results following the IR-RF<span class="inline-formula"><sub>70</sub></span> protocol with sensitivity corrections show an improvement over the original room-temperature results. For four out of the seven tested known-age samples spanning ca. 100–300 Gy (20–130 ka), we obtained results in keeping with the expected doses. Two additional modern samples, however, yielded slight dose underestimations. Introduction of a multiple-aliquot regenerative dose (MAR) protocol improved the accuracy of two out of three samples with large sensitivity changes. Finally, we also compared the new IR-RF equivalent doses (<span class="inline-formula"><i>D</i><sub>e</sub></span>) to those obtained with the newer dating method, infrared photoluminescence (IRPL), for the same samples, including previously published values and new measurements. Like IR-RF, IRPL is also expected to be trap-specific. We observe that, with the new improvements, the success rate of IR-RF is comparable to that of IRPL.</p>
format Article
id doaj-art-e862b2eacd7445e4898c561f2767eae1
institution Kabale University
issn 2628-3697
2628-3719
language English
publishDate 2025-08-01
publisher Copernicus Publications
record_format Article
series Geochronology
spelling doaj-art-e862b2eacd7445e4898c561f2767eae12025-08-20T04:02:12ZengCopernicus PublicationsGeochronology2628-36972628-37192025-08-01728930810.5194/gchron-7-289-2025Further investigations into the accuracy of infrared radiofluorescence (IR-RF) and its inter-comparison with infrared photoluminescence (IRPL) datingM. Sontag-González0M. K. Murari1M. Jain2M. Frouin3M. Fuchs4Department of Geography, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35390 Giessen, GermanyInter University Accelerator Centre, 110067, New Delhi, Delhi, IndiaLuminescence Physics and Technologies, Department of Physics, Technical University of Denmark, Risø Campus, Roskilde, DenmarkDepartment of Geosciences, Stony Brook University, 255 Earth and Space Sciences Building, Stony Brook, NY 11794-2100, USADepartment of Geography, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35390 Giessen, Germany<p>Infrared radiofluorescence (IR-RF) is an alternative dating technique for potassium feldspar grains, offering a higher signal stability and based on a simpler underlying mechanism than more common luminescence dating approaches. However, its accuracy when tested on known-age samples has so far shown inconsistent results. In this study, we present a refined accuracy assessment using samples that have previously produced unreliable IR-RF ages. Our approach incorporates two major methodological advancements developed over the past decade: elevated temperature measurements using the IR-RF<span class="inline-formula"><sub>70</sub></span> protocol and sensitivity change correction by vertical sliding. To expand the dose range comparison, we included two additional samples: one expected to be in saturation and another of modern age. Additionally, we evaluated the effect of using a narrower bandpass filter to exclude any signal contributions from potentially contaminating shorter wavelength emissions. Our results following the IR-RF<span class="inline-formula"><sub>70</sub></span> protocol with sensitivity corrections show an improvement over the original room-temperature results. For four out of the seven tested known-age samples spanning ca. 100–300 Gy (20–130 ka), we obtained results in keeping with the expected doses. Two additional modern samples, however, yielded slight dose underestimations. Introduction of a multiple-aliquot regenerative dose (MAR) protocol improved the accuracy of two out of three samples with large sensitivity changes. Finally, we also compared the new IR-RF equivalent doses (<span class="inline-formula"><i>D</i><sub>e</sub></span>) to those obtained with the newer dating method, infrared photoluminescence (IRPL), for the same samples, including previously published values and new measurements. Like IR-RF, IRPL is also expected to be trap-specific. We observe that, with the new improvements, the success rate of IR-RF is comparable to that of IRPL.</p>https://gchron.copernicus.org/articles/7/289/2025/gchron-7-289-2025.pdf
spellingShingle M. Sontag-González
M. K. Murari
M. Jain
M. Frouin
M. Fuchs
Further investigations into the accuracy of infrared radiofluorescence (IR-RF) and its inter-comparison with infrared photoluminescence (IRPL) dating
Geochronology
title Further investigations into the accuracy of infrared radiofluorescence (IR-RF) and its inter-comparison with infrared photoluminescence (IRPL) dating
title_full Further investigations into the accuracy of infrared radiofluorescence (IR-RF) and its inter-comparison with infrared photoluminescence (IRPL) dating
title_fullStr Further investigations into the accuracy of infrared radiofluorescence (IR-RF) and its inter-comparison with infrared photoluminescence (IRPL) dating
title_full_unstemmed Further investigations into the accuracy of infrared radiofluorescence (IR-RF) and its inter-comparison with infrared photoluminescence (IRPL) dating
title_short Further investigations into the accuracy of infrared radiofluorescence (IR-RF) and its inter-comparison with infrared photoluminescence (IRPL) dating
title_sort further investigations into the accuracy of infrared radiofluorescence ir rf and its inter comparison with infrared photoluminescence irpl dating
url https://gchron.copernicus.org/articles/7/289/2025/gchron-7-289-2025.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT msontaggonzalez furtherinvestigationsintotheaccuracyofinfraredradiofluorescenceirrfanditsintercomparisonwithinfraredphotoluminescenceirpldating
AT mkmurari furtherinvestigationsintotheaccuracyofinfraredradiofluorescenceirrfanditsintercomparisonwithinfraredphotoluminescenceirpldating
AT mjain furtherinvestigationsintotheaccuracyofinfraredradiofluorescenceirrfanditsintercomparisonwithinfraredphotoluminescenceirpldating
AT mfrouin furtherinvestigationsintotheaccuracyofinfraredradiofluorescenceirrfanditsintercomparisonwithinfraredphotoluminescenceirpldating
AT mfuchs furtherinvestigationsintotheaccuracyofinfraredradiofluorescenceirrfanditsintercomparisonwithinfraredphotoluminescenceirpldating