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Application of PIXE for the determination of transition elements in the grouping study of archaeological clay potteries
Author(s) -
Dasari K. B.,
Acharya R.,
Ray D. K.,
Lakshmana Das N.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
x‐ray spectrometry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.447
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1097-4539
pISSN - 0049-8246
DOI - 10.1002/xrs.2744
Subject(s) - provenance , neutron activation analysis , tandem accelerator , trace element , archaeology , mineralogy , materials science , chemistry , geology , radiochemistry , geochemistry , metallurgy , geography , ion , organic chemistry
Trace element concentrations play an important role in grouping and provenance studies of archaeological artifacts. Particle‐inducedX‐ray emission (PIXE) using low energy proton beams (1.5 and 3 MeV) from a tandem particle accelerator was used to analyze the ancient clay potteries collected from an ancient Buddhist site in India. Concentrations of 13 elements, including eight transition elements, were determined. The concentrations of transition elements were used for the grouping study by statistical cluster analysis according to the similar and dissimilar elemental distribution within the samples. Two International Atomic Energy Agency Reference Materials (RMs) were analyzed to validate the PIXE method. Two samples were analyzed by both PIXE and instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) as a part of quality assurance. Grouping results were used for preliminary provenance study. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.