Isotope analysis of materials using muonic X-ray and gammas

Isotope composition can be affected by natural phenomena and human activity. These effects can provide information on the origin of the material. The most commonly known isotope analysis tool is carbon dating. However, a range of isotopes can be used within cultural heritage and archaeology (H, B, C, N, O, Mg, Si, S, Cl, Ar, Ca, Fe, Cu, Zn, Sr, Ag, Sn, Nd, Hg, Pb, Th, U) for dating, provenance, diet of humans, migration among humans and even ore prospecting pollution [1]. Isotope analysis is not only restricted to cultural heritage, it can be applied to many other areas, such as: forensics, food and beverage industry, environmental sciences, history, heritage science, and also utilised to detect forgeries in art. During the muon capture process a gamma is released and is characteristic of the isotope. If this project is successful, it will enable much greater information to be extracted.