Development of an objective dose distribution analysis method for OSL dating and pilot studies for planetary applications

Scope and method of study. Part I: In its simplest expression a luminescence age is the natural absorbed radiation dose (D_e) divided by the in-situ dose rate. The experimental techniques of Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) dating have evolved to the point were hundreds of D_es, and therefore depositional ages can be quickly and conveniently determined for a single sediment sample. The first major objective of this research was to develop an objective analysis method for analyzing dose distribution data and selecting an age-representative dose (D_p). The analytical method was developed based on dose data sets collected from 3 eolian and 3 fluvial sediment samples from Central Oklahoma.; Findings and conclusions. Part I: An objective method of presenting the dose distribution data, and a mathematically rigorous means of determining the D_p, as well as a statistically meaningful definition of the uncertainty in D_p have been proposed. The concept of experimental error deconvolution was introduced. In addition a set of distribution shape parameters to facilitate comparison among samples have been defined. These analytical techniques hold the potential to greatly enhance the accuracy and utility of OSL dating for young fluvial sediments.; Scope and method of study. Part II: The second major objective of this research was to propose the application of luminescence dating to sediments on Mars. A set of fundamental luminescence dating properties was evaluated for a martian surface materials analog and a polar deposit contextual analog.; Findings and conclusions. Part II: The luminescence signals measured from the analogs were found to have a wide dynamic dose response range with no unusual or prohibitive short-term instabilities and were readily reset by exposure to sunlight. These properties form a stable base for continued investigations toward the development of luminescence dating instruments and procedures for Mars.