Natural Thermoluminescence (NTL) Data for Antarctic Meteorites

Paul Benoit, Joyce Roth, Hazel Sears, and Derek Sears
Cosmochemistry Group
Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, AR 72701

The measurement and data reduction methods were described by Hasan et al. (1987, Proc. 17th LPSC E703-E709; 1989, LPSC XX, 383-384) For meteorites whose TL lies between 5 and 100 krad the natural TL is related primarily to terrestrial history Samples with NTL <5 krad have TL below that which can be reasonably ascribed to long terrestrial ages Such meteorites have had their TL lowered by heating within the past million years or so by close solar passage, shock heating, or atmospheric entry We suggest that meteorites with NTL >100 krad are candidates for unusual orbital/thermal histories (Benoit and Sears, 1993, EPSL 120, 463-471).

                                     NTL
                                 [krad at
    Sample           Class     250 deg. C]

    QUE93030         H3        66.8±0.6

    QUE93024         H5        48.2±0.5
    QUE93027         H5         0.34±0.04
    QUE93028         H5         1  ±0.1
    QUE93029         H5        27.5±0.1
    QUE93033         H5        24.3±0.1
    QUE93034         H5         0.9±0.1
    QUE93038         H5        53  ±0.3
    QUE93043         H5        22.8±0.1
    QUE93046         H5       107.1±0.1
    QUE93049         H5        22.9±0.1
    QUE93051         H5         1.9±0.3
    QUE93055         H5         5.1±0.1

    QUE93031         L5         8.1±0.1
    QUE93032         L5         2.1±0.3
    QUE93035         L5        12.6±0.1
    QUE93036         L5         9.9±0.5
    QUE93037         L5         0.5±0.1
    QUE93039         L5        10.3±0.2
    QUE93040         L5        13.4±0.1

    QUE93041         L5         3.1±0.1
    QUE93042         L5         8.8±0.1
    QUE93044         L5         8.8±0.1
    QUE93045         L5        33  ±2
    QUE93052         L5        14.8±0.2
    QUE93053         L5         2.8±0.4
    QUE93054         L5         0.7±0.1
    QUE93056         L5        15.5±0.1
    QUE93057         L5         8.3±0.1
    QUE93058         L5         9.7±0.1
    QUE93059         L5         9.6±0.1
    QUE93061         L5        10.3±0.1
    QUE93062         L5         1.9±0.2
    QUE93063         L5         8.7±0.1
    QUE93065         L5         2.7±0.5
    QUE93068         L5         5.2±0.2
    QUE93072         L5         1.6±0.3
    QUE93076         L5        12.2±0.1

    QUE93016         L6        30.9±0.3
    RKP92407         L6        33.5±0.2
    RKP92408         L6        89  ±2

The quoted uncertainties are the standard deviation shown by replicate measurements of a single aliquot.

COMMENTS: The following comments are based on natural TL data, TL senstivity, the shape of the induced glow curve, classifications, and JSC and Arkansas group sample descriptions.

QUE93030 is confirmed as a type 3.6 (AMN 18:1).

1. Pairings (Confirmations of pairings in AMN 18(1):

2. TL data do not confirm pairings suggested in the Newsletter:

3. Additional pairings suggested by TL data: