Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gxg78 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-13T07:09:36.807Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Liquid Scintillation Counting in the London Underground

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 July 2016

Sheridan Bowman*
Affiliation:
British Museum Research Laboratory London WC1B 3DG, England
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

At the 12th International Radiocarbon Conference held in Trondheim, the potential of the London Underground as a site for liquid scintillation counting was considered (Bowman, 1986). This was discussed in light of a survey of three possible locations using a portable gamma-ray spectrometer. Two liquid scintillation counters, a Packard 3255 and an LKB “Kangaroo”, have now been successfully installed in a vault which is some 30m below ground. The reduction in background count rates achieved is discussed, together with other improvements made to the counting system.

Type
I. Sample Preparation and Measurement Techniques
Copyright
Copyright © The American Journal of Science 

References

Ambers, J, Leese, M and Bowman, S, 1986, Detection of bias in the background of vials used for scintillation counting, in Stuiver, M and Kra, R S, eds, Internatl 14C conf, 12th, Proc: Radiocarbon, v 28, no. 2A, p 586591.Google Scholar
Bowman, S, 1986, The potential of the London Underground for liquid scintillation counting, in Stuiver, M and Kra, R S, eds, Internatl 14C conf, 12th, Proc: Radiocarbon, v 28, no 2A p 592596.Google Scholar
Bowman, S G E and Ambers, J C, in press, Past and present: the identification of an error in, and the present status of, radiocarbon dating at the British Museum, in Waterbolk, H T, ed, Internatl symposium, Archaeology and 14C, 2nd, Proc: PACT, Strasbourg.Google Scholar
Burleigh, R and Hewson, A, 1975, Evaporation losses of organic samples from liquid scintillation counting vials, in Crook, M A and Johnson, P, eds, Liquid scintillation counting: London, Heyden, p 207213.Google Scholar
Calf, G E and Airey, P L, 1982, Liquid scintillation counting of C-14 in a heavily shielded site, in Ambrose, W and Duerden, P, eds, Archaeometry: an Australian perspective: Canberra, Australian Natl Univ Press, p 351356.Google Scholar
Calf, G E and Polach, H A, 1974, Teflon vials for liquid scintillation counting of carbon-14 samples, in Stanley, P E and Scoggins, B A, eds, Liquid scintillation counting – recent developments: New York, Academic Press, p 223234.Google Scholar
Loosli, H H, Forster, M and Otlet, R L, 1986, Background measurements with different shielding and anticoincidence systems in Stuiver, M and Kra, R S, eds, Internatl 14C conf, 12th, Proc: Radiocarbon, v 28, no.2A, p 615624.Google Scholar
Kalin, R and Long, A, 1989, Radiocarbon dating with the Quantulus in an underground laboratory: Performance and background sources: Radiocarbon, this issue.Google Scholar
Otlet, R L and Slade, B S, 1974, Harwell radiocarbon measurements I: Radiocarbon, v 16, no.2, p 178191.Google Scholar
Schotterer, U and Oeschger, H, 1980, Low-level liquid scintillation counting in an underground laboratory, in Stuiver, M and Kra, R S, eds, Internatl 14C conf, 10th, Proc: Radiocarbon, v 22, no.2, p 505511.Google Scholar
Soini, E, 1975, Rejection of optical cross-talk in photomultiplier tubes in liquid scintillation counters: Research rept, Wallac Oy, Turku, Finland.Google Scholar
Tite, M S, Bowman, S G E, Ambers, J C and Matthews, K J, 1987, Preliminary statement on an error in British Museum radiocarbon dates (BM-1700 to BM-2315): Antiquity, v 61, no. 232, p 168.Google Scholar
Tite, M S, Bowman, S G E, Ambers, J C and Matthews, K J, 1988, Preliminary statement on an error in British Museum radiocarbon dates (BM-1700 to BM-2315): Radiocarbon, v 30, no. 1, p 132.CrossRefGoogle Scholar