Thermoluminescent of induced calcite by gamma and ultraviolet radiation

Samples of brazilian calcite, exposed to gamma radiation in laboratory and heated at constant rate of 2.70 C/s, showed three glow peaks at 150, 250 and 350 0C in their thermoluminescent emission curves. The analysis of these peaks, using different models, indicated that they follow a second order kinetics; it has been obtained, for the activation energy, 1.3, 1.5 and 1.7 eV, and, for the pre-exponential factors, 8.1 x 10 14, 6.8 x10 13 and 2.4 x 1012 s-1. Although the total thermoluminescent emission has stayed constant, the relative height of glow peaks has changed with the temperature of annealing in the range of 400 to 700 0C. Exposed samples were also illuminated with ultraviolet light and the resultant curves showed partial or total bleaching or some glow peaks and the growth of peaks at lower temperatures. Samples of virgin calcite, submited to increasing exposures of gamma rays, showed a corresponding enhancement of the optical absorption bands in the range of 25000 to 47000 cm-1 A subsequent illumination of these samples with ultraviolet light produced a decrease of the optical absorption bands at the same range. (author)