Luminescence of uranium and rare-earth elements in apatite of fossil fish teeth

Michael Gaft, Shlomo Shoval, Gerard Panczer, Yaacov Nathan, Bernard Champagnon, Claudine Garapon

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Time-delayed laser-induced luminescence of uranium and rare-earth elements (REE) in apatite of fossil fish teeth from the phosphorites of the Senonian Mishash Formation, Israel, were investigated before and after thermal treatment. The unheated samples show luminescence of UO2/2+. Luminescence of REE3+ (Sm, Eu, Pr) is observed only after heating the samples at 1100 K in air. The spectral properties indicate that UO2/2+ in the unheated samples is located in two different positions, as aqua- complexes of uranyl-ions and associated with organic matter. The REE in the unheated samples are accommodated in non-luminescent form. After heating the REE3+ (Sm, Eu, Pr) are located in the Ca2+ II site presumably due to thermal diffusion.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)187-193
Number of pages7
JournalPalaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology
Volume126
Issue number1-2
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 1996

Keywords

  • carbonate-apatite
  • luminescence
  • rare earth elements
  • teeth
  • uranium

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