[en] The aim of this work was to demonstrate that an archaeological ceramic piece has remained buried underground in the same stratum for centuries without being removed. For this purpose, a chemometric model based on Principal Component Analysis, Soft Independent Modelling of Class Analogy and Linear Discriminant Analysis classification techniques was created with the concentration of some selected elements of both soil of the stratum and soil adhered to the ceramic piece. Some ceramic pieces from four different stratigraphic units, coming from a roman archaeological site in Alava (North of Spain), and its respective stratum soils were collected. The soil adhered to the ceramic pieces was removed and treated in the same way as the soil from its respective stratum. The digestion was carried out following the US Environmental Pollution Agency EPA 3051A method. A total of 54 elements were determined in the extracts by a rapid screening inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry method. After rejecting the major elements and those which could have changed from the original composition of the soils (migration or retention from/to the buried objects), the following elements (25) were finally taken into account to construct the model: Li, V, Co, As, Y, Nb, Sn, Ba, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Au, Th and U. A total of 33 subsamples were treated from 10 soils belonging to 4 different stratigraphic units. The final model groups and discriminate them in four groups, according to the stratigraphic unit, having both the stratum and soils adhered to the pieces falling down in the same group.

[en] Resonance Ionization Mass Spectrometry (RIMS) is being developed to measure thorium isotopes from geological samples. These measurements, in conjunction with uranium measurements by thermal ionization, permit geochronological dating in the timescale of 10,000 to 350,000 years. (Author)

[en] Resonance Ionization Mass Spectrometry (RIMS) is used to yield isotopically selective saturation spectroscopy of the ¹⁷⁵Lu and ¹⁷⁶Lu isotopes. Precise determination of the hyperfine frequency positions for different isotopes is easily achieved. In addition, hyperfine splitting constants can be determined with improved accuracy. (author)

[en] Resonant Laser Ablation (RLA), which combines Laser Ablation (LA) and Resonance Ionization Spectroscopy (RIS) simultaneously with a single laser, can be used as a simple analytical technique of trace elements with high sensitivity and elemental (isotopic) selectivity for solid samples. However, the elemental selectivity falls off in the higher laser power range because of an increase of an ion yield produced non-resonantly in laser ablation process. To enhance an ion yield produced through the resonant ionization process, the incident laser is split into two beams for LA and RIS, respectively. In the present study, we have developed a simple theoretical model to simulate the RLA process and checked the validity of the model by analyzing some experiments to detect a trace of Al. The dependence of the elemental selectivity and the detection limit on the incident laser power is mainly discussed to optimize the trace element analytical technique with RLA

[en] The review is devoted to the major advances in laser sampling. The advantages and drawbacks of the technique are considered. Specific features of combinations of laser sampling with various instrumental analytical methods, primarily inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, are discussed. Examples of practical implementation of hybrid methods involving laser sampling as well as corresponding analytical characteristics are presented. The bibliography includes 78 references

[en] ICP (Inductively Coupled Plasma) generators at atmospheric pressure have quite widespread since thirty years. They are useful for elementary analysis, either for optical emission spectroscopy or for mass spectroscopy. Plasma know how is described. For both spectroscopies, the best choice is argon plasma, emitted by a HF (high frequency) inductive source, at a 1 to 2.5 kW power. Then the analytical properties are detailed. (D.L.). 8 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab., 1 photo

[en] High precision and high accuracy lead isotopic ratio determinations are important in environmental and geological studies. Four MS measurement methods will be briefly reviewed

[en] We present an exact calculation of the effective geometry-induced quantum potential for a particle confined on a helicoidal ribbon. This potential leads to the appearance of localized states at the rim of the helicoid. In this geometry the twist of the ribbon plays the role of an effective transverse electric field on the surface and thus this is reminiscent of the Hall effect

[en] In this paper, we discuss the use of Resonance Ionization Mass Spectrometry (RIMS) to perform isotopically selective saturation spectroscopy of lutetium isotopes. Utilizing this technique, it is shown that accurate measurements of the relative frequencies of hyperfine (HF) components for different isotopes easily can be made without the need for an isotopically enriched sample. The precision with which the HF splitting constants can be determined is estimated to be ∼5 times greater than in previous work

[en] This paper describes advances in isotopic measurements that have been made with an inductively coupled plasma source magnetic sector multiple collector mass spectrometer (MC-ICP-MS) and presents results of new experiments aimed at further evaluating the instrumental capability as well as the correction technique for the mass discrimination effects. The ability to correct for the mass discrimination effect using a second element of similar mass and very high sensitivity for elements that are otherwise difficult to ionize gives this instrument major advantages over other conventional techniques for isotopic measurements. The isotopic data obtained by MC-ICP-MS clearly demonstrate potential as a new technique to produce precise and reproducible isotopic data for the elements that are difficult to measure by thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS). (author)