Electron spin resonance (ESR) dating and ESR applications in quaternary science and archaeometry

The scope of application of ESR spectroscopy has greatly expanded with the advent of its widespread use in radiation exposure dating around 1980 and its use in retrospective dosimetry since the Chernobyl disaster in 1986. Few fields of study are of such breadth that they span topics as diverse as dating of human origins, volcanic activity, cave deposits and earthquakes, while also providing prognoses for radiation accident victims. Between 1945 and 1975 ESR was mainly used to define the nature of paramagnetic defects in crystalline and amorphous materials, which laid the foundation for its use in applied areas in Quaternary geology, archaeometry and accident dosimetry. This review chronicles the development of the use of ESR in applied science since 1975, with particular emphasis on the state of the art in the period 1987–1997. The first part of the review focuses mainly on the range of applications for datable materials: tooth enamel (Section 2), calcite (Section 3) and quartz (Sections 4–9), while the second part comprises the areas of retrospective dosimetry (Section 10) and new applications (Section 11). The review concludes (Appendix A) with an introduction to the physical basis and assumptions involved in ESR dating, and compilations of valuable reference works for students and workers in this field.