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Beginning
Figures and captions
Tables
1.      Introduction
1.1.   Development of the TCN methods
1.2.     Applications of TCN methods
1.3.     Previous reviews
2.     Glossary
2.1.     Terminology
2.2.     Notation
3.     Principles
3.1.     Introduction
3.1.1.        Source of the Primary Radiation
3.1.2.        Geomagnetic field effects
3.1.3.        Trajectory models
3.1.4.        Models of particle production
3.1.5.        TCN production from primary GCR
3.1.6.        TCN production by energetic nucleons
3.1.7.        TCN production by low-energy neutron
3.1.8.        TCN production by muons
3.1.9.        Factors limiting TCN applications
3.2.     Low Energy Neutron Behavior
3.3.     Analytical Equations for TCN Production
3.3.1.        Fast Neutron (Spallation) Production
3.3.2.        Epithermal Neutrons
3.3.3.        Thermal Neutrons
3.3.4.        Muons and Muogenic Neutrons
3.3.5.       Total Nuclide Production
3.4.     Energetic Neutron Attenuation Length
3.5.     Temporal Variations in Production Rates
3.5.1.        Primary GCR flux
3.5.2.        Solar modulation of the magnetic field
3.5.3.        Geomagnetic field
3.5.4.        Atmospheric shielding
3.5.5.        Other sources of temporal variations
3.6.     Estimation of Production Rates
3.6.1.        Helium-3
3.6.2.        Beryllium-10
3.6.3.        Carbon-14
3.6.4.        Neon-21
3.6.5.       Aluminum-26
3.6.6.        Chlorine-36
3.7.     Production rates scaling and adjustment
3.7.1.        Spatial scaling
3.7.2.      Topographic Shielding
3.7.3.       Surface coverage
3.7.4.        Sample thickness
3.7.5.        Thermal Neutron Leakage
3.8.     Exposure dating with a single TCN
3.9.     Exposure Dating with Multiple Nuclides
3.10.   Nuclide-Specific Considerations
3.10.1.      Helium-3
3.10.2.      Beryllium-10
3.10.3.      Carbon-14
3.10.4.      Neon-21
3.10.5.      Aluminum-26
3.10.6.      Chlorine-36
3.11.   TCN dating of sediment
4.        Sampling Strategies
4.1.     Field Sampling Considerations
4.1.1.        Sample description
4.1.2.        Sampling Methodology
4.2.     Other lithological considerations
4.3.     How much sample is needed?
4.4.     Strategy for concentration-depth profiles
5.      Sample prep and experimental data
5.1.     TCN Sample Preparation
5.1.1.        Preparation time
5.1.2.        Physical and chemical pretreatment
5.1.3.        Isotopic extraction
5.2.     Experimental data interpretation
6.        Uncertainty and sources of error
6.1.     Sources of error
6.1.1.        Sample characteristics
6.1.2.        Sample preparation and analyses
6.1.3.       Mass spectrometry
6.1.4.        Systematic errors
6.2.      Reporting the uncertainty
6.2.1.        Error propagation
6.2.2.        Intercomparison
6.2.3.        Multiple sample measurements
6.2.4.        Sensitivity analysis
7.        Directions of future contributions
8.        Acknowledgements

References
Captions

TCN

Terrestrial In Situ Cosmogenic Nuclides...

terrestrial: nuclides that are produced on Earth (not the nuclides produced in space)

in situ: produced in rocks (not the nuclides produced in the atmosphere like radiocarbon)

cosmogenic: products of the interaction between secondary cosmic rays and exposed minerals

nuclides: radioactive (10Be, 14C, 26Al, 36Cl) and stable noble gases (3He, 21Ne).

Much of the content of this page comes from

J.C. Gosse and F.M. Phillips, 2001, Terrestrial in situ cosmogenic nuclides: theory and applications, Quaternary Science Reviews 20(14), 1475-1560.

If you want a pdf file of this article, go to Elsevier's page for QSR. We have added some stuff that is not in the published paper.

Please contact me if you want to report things that should be updated, mistakes, or to add your own links and references.

Here are some examples of applications of TCN in Earth Sciences

Links

Figures and captions from Gosse and Phillips, 2001
Figure captions from Gosse and Phillips, 2001 (in a separate window)
Tables from Gosse and Phillips, 2001 (separate windows)