Estimation of the sources of pelagic sediments from the South Pacific Ocean to the Antarctic Ocean

Gamma-irradiated L-α-alanine used in EPR-coupled dosimetry has a complex EPR spectrum at room temperature. Changing the temperature or other conditions of the irradiated samples leads to varied EPR spectrum, i.e., some components disappear and/or new ones are formed. We used both molecular mechanics (MM+) and semiempirical (AM1) methods to perform a theoretical investigation of the seven radical species that have been experimentally detected. We established their order of priority in the given simulation conditions (at 0 K, in vacuo). The formation stages advanced for these long-lived radical species were characterized by a theoretical determination of the reaction enthalpies.