Fluid inclusions in quartz: interference with thermoluminescence and its application to dating

Abstract Natural quartz very often contain fluid inclusions. Such inclusions can interfere with thermoluminescence and its application to dating. Three aspects were investigated in the present work. (i) In the case of quartz heated in the past, visual features of damaged fluid inclusions can allow evaluation of the maximal temperature that was experienced by the sample. (ii) When the elemental composition of quartz samples is analysed, the contents of the inclusions can induce systematic bias in the interpretation of the results, e.g., in attempts to correlate TL properties with trace elements. (iii) Possible diffusion of impurities from inclusions to crystal lattice at elevated temperature, either during natural heating or in the course of measurements in the laboratory, can result in irreversible modification of TL characteristics of the quartz grains.