Laboratory Services

210Pb Dating and Individual Assays for Gamma Ray Emitting RadioIsotopes

   It is well known in the research community that gamma spectrometers have a dramatic range of efficiency across its 2000 keV spectrum. Our gamma spectrometer is calibrated for efficiency using reference materials from the International Atomic Energy Agency to provide the most accurate measurements possible. Our data computations are done on a specially developed software program from ScienTissiME. The program takes into account efficiencies, self attenuation corrections, self absorption corrections, cascade corrections and many others.

   When our gamma counter is not in use by our members, we offer our 210Pb dating methods,  and measurements for individual assays to other researchers in various universities, companies, government and private groups. All of our work is done on site using non-destructive methods. Measurements are done by digital gamma ray spectroscopy. We employ up to 4 dating models to provide users with the best possible dating scenarios for their sediment core profiles.

•    CRS = constant rate of supply

•    CIC = constant initial concentration

•    Cs = 137Cs

•    CFCS = constant flux constant sedimentation rate

   Individual assay measurements are analyzed and interpretted with our specially calibrated system to provide efficiency corrected concentrations.

If you are interested in submitting samples for 210Pb dating or for individual assays of gamma emitting isotopes, please contact Linda Kimpe at: 

lkimpe@uottawa.ca    

Tel: 613-562-5800 ext 6668