Terrestrial ages of Antarctic meteorites based on the thermoluminescence levels induced in the fusion crust

Abstract

The fusion crust of eight Antarctic meteorite finds show natural thermoluminescence (TL) levels about 100 times higher than the levels in the fusion crust of freshly fallen meteorites, Dhajala, Jilin and Bansur. If it is assumed that this TL is due to cosmic ray received on the surface of Antarctica, the terrestrial residence times of the meteorites is calculated to lie between 10⁴-10⁵ years. Strictly, these periods represent lower limits of terrestrial ages of these meteorites, and are generally consistent with terrestrial ages calculated from cosmogenic radionuclides.