Spatially Resolved Luminescence in marine sediment cores, speleothems, and corals

• Grant number: 25/08809-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Master's degree
• Start date: August 01, 2025
• End date: January 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Geosciences - Geology
• Principal Investigator: Vinícius Ribau Mendes
• Grantee: Giorgio Battistella Santos
• Supervisor: Geoffrey Alastair Thomas Duller
• Host Institution: Instituto do Mar (IMar). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus Baixada Santista. Santos , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Aberystwyth University, Wales
• Associated to the scholarship: 24/00942-0 - Building of the first optically stimulated luminescence scanner for marine sediment cores, BP.MS

Abstract

This proposal for a six-month research stay aims to improve the Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) scanning method and upgrade the luminescence scanner that is under development inside the scope of the master project. The idea is to expand its applications to new materials and advance luminescence-based paleoclimatic reconstructions. Conducted through an international collaboration, the study will investigate the contribution of different minerals - such as quartz, feldspar, and calcite - to the luminescence signal in marine sediment cores, corals, and speleothems. A key objective is to develop methods to quantify the contributions from these different materials, refining the accuracy of OSL measurements. Additionally, the research will explore alternatives to the current 12-hour pause used for bleaching unstable signals in quartz and investigate new stimulation techniques to enhance the efficiency and reliability of the method. Another crucial aspect of the proposal is learning advanced acquisition and processing techniques for spatially resolved OSL data, which will later be integrated into the scanner under development in Brazil. This international experience will foster new research networks and strengthen collaborations, ensuring that the upgraded scanner meets the highest scientific standards and broadens its applicability in paleoclimatic studies. (AU)