[Rockhounds] Radioactive?

[Axel Emmermann]

To remind ourselves: metamictisation of crystals due to radiation was
explained quite clearly by Earl Verbeek. I recently created an image that
visualises the concept of a crystal being broken up by its own
radioactivity. 
Zircon often contains some radio-isotopes like uranium and thorium. Natural
radiation renders the crystals opaque but it also creates radiation damage
centres that fluoresce. The image of a fluorescing zircon crystal can be
viewed on my website: 
http://users.telenet.be/axel.emmerman/FiatLux/Silicates2.html
It is riddled with cracks, some of them with a slightly more orange
fluorescence. 
It's a stacked focus composite image which allows several images with low
depth of field to be combined into one sharp image with much more detail.
It's not a photo (I'm pretty adamant about that: a photo is what you take in
one shot... Composite images of lighting gradients or focus stacking are
images imho, not photos). 

Clicking on the prism will get you the spectrum and some ramblings about the
cause of the fluorescence.

Enjoy.

Axel


Axel Emmermann
European Regional Vice President of the
Fluorescent Mineral Society
<http://www.uvminerals.org/>
=========================
Mineralogische Kring Antwerpen/Antwerp Mineralogical Society
<http://www.minerant.org/index.html>
Werkgroepleider/Workgroup leader: Fluorescerende mineralen/Fluorescent
minerals
Technische Realisaties/Engineering
My website: http://users.telenet.be/axel.emmerman/FiatLux/Index.php
 
 
> -----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
> Van: rockhounds-bounces at lists.drizzle.com
[mailto:rockhounds-bounces at lists.drizzle.com]
> Namens Gene Hartstein - Fossilnut.com
> Verzonden: woensdag 16 september 2009 3:45
> Aan: Rockhounds at drizzle.com: A mailing list for rock and gem collectors
> Onderwerp: Re: [Rockhounds] Radioactive?
> 
> Occasionally, I'll bring a piece of Fiesta Dinnerware with me to a mineral
&
> fossil show along with my geiger counter to demonstrate that radioactivity
> can be found in many places
> 
> . During the thirties through I think the sixties, the red (officially
it's
> called red but it always looked orange to me) dinnerware used depleted
> Uranium Oxide for the pigment. Ivory produced pre WWII used natural
uranium
> salts. These plates emit a lot of alpha and beta, and will make the gieger
> counter sing.
> 
> http://www.orau.org/ptp/collection/consumer%20products/fiesta.htm
> 
> I store all the radioactive specimens and my plates in the garage where
any
> Radon regularly gets vented to the outside.. You can still buy such plates
> at many flea markets or antique shops.
> 
> Now check out salt substitutes
> http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/Hbase/Nuclear/nucbuy.html
> 
> It's all a matter of perspective.
> 
> Gene Hartstein
> 
> --
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