On Shukolyukov equation for the fading of fission tracks in minerals

In this paper it is shown that the differential equation describing the fading of fission tracks in minerals proposed by Shukolyukov et al. should be correct in the first approximation since its solution for a particular condition, where the activation energy E is taken as constant, gives the linear relation between log t and T-1, for constant values of ρ/ρ0, known as Arrhenius plots (t is the annealing time, T the annealing temperature and ρ/ρ0 is the ratio of track density relative to an unannealed sample). It is also shown that another experimental result, the linear variation of ρ/ρ0 with log t for constant T, is not independent from Arrhenius plots for a given ρ/ρ0 if E is given by E βρ/ρ0 + γ, where β and γ are constants, as proposed by Dakowski et al. for minerals. This indicates that Shukolyukov equation, with E given by E βρ/ρ0 + γ, can be proposed as a interesting tool for further studies on fading of fission tracks in minerals. (author)