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SIMS‐SS, A NEW OBSIDIAN HYDRATION DATING METHOD: ANALYSIS AND THEORETICAL PRINCIPLES*
Author(s) -
LIRITZIS I.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
archaeometry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.716
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1475-4754
pISSN - 0003-813X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1475-4754.2006.00271.x
Subject(s) - secondary ion mass spectrometry , diffusion , saturation (graph theory) , mineralogy , surface layer , surface diffusion , geology , mass transport , ion , layer (electronics) , analytical chemistry (journal) , chemistry , thermodynamics , engineering physics , adsorption , mathematics , organic chemistry , engineering , chromatography , physics , combinatorics
The water diffusion mechanism in obsidian has been revisited with the advent of a new dating approach employing secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). The water diffusion SIMS(+) profile and the concept of a surface saturation (SS) layer in obsidians both provide a sound basis for the new diffusion age equation (SIMS‐SS) and are supported by dated world examples (Liritzis et al. 2004). Here, we present the basic physical–chemical analysis of the mass transport phenomenon on which the new dating method is based. The crucial age parameter of the SIMS‐SS dating approach for archaeological obsidians—that is, the surface saturation (SS) layer—is supported by both theoretical and experimental data.