Dating stalagmite from Caverna do Diabo (Devil'S Cave) by TL and EPR techniques

A cylindrical fragment of stalagmite from Caverna do Diabo, State of Sao Paulo, Brazil, has been studied and dated by thermoluminescence and electron paramagnetic resonance techniques. The thermoluminescence glow curves of stalagmite samples and subsequently gamma irradiated, have shown rise of three peaks at 135, 180 and 265 degrees C. From electron paramagnetic resonance spectra of stalagmite was possible to clearly identify three paramagnetic centers in the g = 2.0 region: Centers I, II and III are due to, CO3- and CO33-, respectively. The additive method was applied to calculate the accumulated dose using thermoluminescence peak at 265 degrees C and the electron paramagnetic resonance signal at g = 1.9973 of CO2- radical. The ages of the different slices of stalagmite were determined from the D-ac-values and D-an-value, obtaining an average of 86410 for central slice, 53421 for second slice, 31490 for third slice and 46390 years B.P. for the central region of upper end.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Fis, Rua Matao,187 Cidade Univ, BR-05508090 Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Ciencias Mar, Rua Doutor Carvalho de Mendonca 144, BR-11070100 Santos, SP, BrazilIPEN CNEN SP, Inst Pesquisas Energet & Nucl, Av Prof Lineu Prestes,2242 Cidade Univ, BR-05508000 Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Nacl San Agustin, Fac Ciencias Nat & Formales, Escuela Profes Fis, Av Independencia S-N, Arequipa, PeruUniv Sao Paulo, Escola Politecn, Dept Engn Met & Mat, Av Prof Mello Moraes 2463, BR-05508030 Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilDepartamento de Ciências do Mar, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Doutor Carvalho de Mendonça, 144, 11070-100 Santos, SP, BrazilFAPESP: 2014/03085-0CAPES: BEX-9612130Web of Scienc

Dating stalagmite from Caverna do Diabo (Devil´S Cave) by TL and EPR techniques

ABSTRACT A cylindrical fragment of stalagmite from Caverna do Diabo, State of São Paulo, Brazil, has been studied and dated by thermoluminescence and electron paramagnetic resonance techniques. The thermoluminescence glow curves of stalagmite samples and subsequently gamma irradiated, have shown rise of three peaks at 135, 180 and 265 °C. From electron paramagnetic resonance spectra of stalagmite was possible to clearly identify three paramagnetic centers in the g = 2.0 region: Centers I, II and III are due to , and , respectively. The additive method was applied to calculate the accumulated dose using thermoluminescence peak at 265 °C and the electron paramagnetic resonance signal at g = 1.9973 of CO- 2 radical. The ages of the different slices of stalagmite were determined from the Dac- values and Dan- value, obtaining an average of 86410 for central slice, 53421 for second slice, 31490 for third slice and 46390 years B.P. for the central region of upper end