Reducing empiricism in luminescence models to measure rates of Earth surface processes

Feldspar luminescence is a diverse tool used to constrain the timing and rates of past changes of the Earth’s surface, but it is also key for understanding future landscape response under a changing climate.

Novel luminescence techniques, such as luminescence thermochronometry, thermometry and surface exposure dating, used to reconstruct rock cooling histories, erosion rates and palaeotemperatures, require the application of models describing charge trapping due to ionising radiation, and luminescence decay due to heat or light stimulation.

However, it has become clear that to improve the precision and accuracy of these approaches a much deeper understanding of the physics underlying these techniques is required.

The interdisciplinary project “Reducing Empiricism in luminesCence models to measuRE rATes of Earth surface processes” (RECREATE) combines solid state physics and geosciences.

RECREATE aims at accurately constraining physical parameters in the feldspar lattice governing luminescence production and to develop a unified physically correct feldspar luminescence model to be used in luminescence thermochronometry and thermometry studies, with the overall goal of making feldspar luminescence techniques and applications more accurate, transparent and widely applicable.