Accelerator Mass Spectrometry

Book excerpt: This extensive undertaking, Accelerator Mass Spectrometry, conducts an elaborate and comprehensive summary of one of the foremost catalysts of progress in scientific research. Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS), an innovative analytical technique, measures rare atoms at unprecedented levels of sensitivity, revolutionizing the science of radiocarbon dating and accessing new natural radioisotopes as environmental tracers and chronometers. This book demonstrates how AMS is applied in the studies of extraterrestrial materials, the earth sciences, the future of the global environment, and the history of mankind. This compendium also highlights the significant impact of AMS on several fields of scientific investigation, spurring remarkable studies in global climate change, ancient artifacts, pollution, nuclear safeguards, geochronology, and materials characterization. The myriad of sample types and variety of applications in this examination include: Meteorites from Mars Ancient air trapped in Antarctic ice The Shroud of Turin The dating of human bones The colonization of the Americas and Australia Ancient rock art The crown of Charlemagne Cancerogenic effects of cooked meat The consequences of the Chernobyl accident The role of aluminum in Alzheimer's Disease This unique edition has compiled the diverse set of scientific literature into a single volume, suitable as a text or resource on the major AMS-related outcomes, issues, and methods.