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fission-track dating |
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fission-track datingMethod of determining the age of a mineral that utilizes the damage done by the spontaneous fission of uranium-238, the most abundant isotope of uranium. The fission results in radiation damage, or fission tracks, that can be made visible by preferential leaching (removal of material by solution) of the host substance with a suitable chemical reagent; the leaching process allows the etched fission-track pits to be viewed and counted under a microscope. The amount of uranium present can be determined by irradiation that produces thermal fission of uranium-235, which produces another population of tracks, related to the uranium concentration of the mineral. Thus, the ratio of naturally produced, spontaneous fission tracks to induced fission tracks is a measure of the age of the sample. See also dating. fission-track dating [′fish·ən ‚trak ‚dād·iŋ] (geology) A method of dating geological specimens by counting the radiation-damage tracks produced by spontaneous fission of uranium impurities in minerals and glasses. How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content. |
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Fission-track dating of volcanic ash grains provided the estimated ages of two sites on Flores, an island located east of Java and Bali, the scientists report in the March 12 Nature. |
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