When energetic swift heavy Win interact with matter, inelastic collision (leading to electronic energy loss-S-e) and elastic collision (leading to nuclear energy loss-S-n) take place. In the present study, the effect of energetic ion species on thermoluminescence (TL) of polycrystalline aluminum oxide (PAO) is reported. PAO pellets of 6 mm diameter are irradiated with energetic Au9+, Ni7+ and Si7+ ions for the fluence of 1 x 10(13) ions cm(-2). A single well resolved prominent TL glow with peak at 538 K is observed in Si7+ irradiated samples. However, in Ni7+ and Au9+ irradiated samples a prominent TL glow with peak at 610 K along with a shoulder at 513 K is observed. On the other hand, when PAO samples are irradiated with gamma-rays two well separated TL glows with peaks at 483 K and 638 K are observed. A prominent PL emission with peak at 430 nm besides a weak emission with peak at 480 nm and a shoulder at 525 nm are observed in 120 MeV Au9+ ion irradiated samples when excited with 320 nm. These PL peaks are attributed to F, F-2(+) and F-2(2+)-centers respectively. However, in Si7+ irradiated samples a single PL emission peak at 430 nm is observed and it is attributed to F-centers
