Systematic underestimation of the age of samples with saturating exponential behaviour and inhomogeneous dose distribution

Abstract

In luminescence and ESR studies, a systematic underestimate of the (average) equivalent dose, and thus also the age, of a sample can occur when there is significant variation of the natural dose within the sample and some regions approach saturation. This is demonstrated explicitly for a material that exhibits a single-saturating-exponential growth of signal with dose. The result is valid for any geometry (e.g. a plain layer, spherical grain, etc.) and some illustrative cases are modelled, with the age bias exceeding 10% in extreme cases. If the dose distribution within the sample can be modelled accurately, it is possible to correct for the bias in the estimates of equivalent dose estimate and age. While quantifying the effect would be more difficult, similar systematic biases in dose and age estimates are likely in other situations more complex than the one modelled.