Study of optically stimulated luminescence of natural olivines.

• Grant number: 24/14974-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: October 01, 2024
• End date: January 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Mining Engineering - Mineral Prospecting
• Principal Investigator: Neilo Marcos Trindade
• Grantee: Alexia Oliveira Silva
• Host Institution: Instituto de Física (IF). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 24/03006-4 - Stimulated Luminescence of Simulant Minerals Martians and Lunars, AP.R
• Associated scholarship(s): 25/08588-4 - Modulated Optically Stimulated Luminescence Technique For Trap Characterization in Olivine, BE.EP.MS

Abstract

Space agencies are interested in understanding the conditions of Martian and lunar surfaces, as well as the radiation levels in these environments, to develop technologies for future missions. This project focuses on evaluating the luminescent properties of the mineral group olivines (Mg, Fe)2SiO4, which have been confirmed to be present in both Martian and lunar soils, and constitute about 1.5% of the Earth's crust. The central proposal is to investigate the effects of ionizing radiation on natural olivines using the optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) technique. OSL refers to the luminescence emitted by the recombination of charges that are optically released from specific traps within a material, which has been previously irradiated by ionizing radiation. Additionally, the project includes optical absorption (OA) measurements in the UV-Vis spectrum, complemented by mineralogical and microstructural characterization techniques, such as scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray fluorescence (XRF). These results will contribute to understanding the feasibility of olivines as radiation detectors in extraterrestrial environments, such as Mars and the Moon.