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The chemical composition of a unique bronze artifact known as the “ Cesta ” (“Basket”) belonging to the ancient Nuragic civilization of the Island of Sardinia, Italy has been analyzed by combining X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy (XRF) with Monte Carlo simulations using the XRMC code. The “ Cesta ” had been discovered probably in the XVIII century with the first graphic representation reported around 1761. In a later draft (dated 1764), the basket has been depicted as being carried upside-down on the shoulder of a large bronze warrior Barthélemy (1761), Pinza (1901), Winckelmann (1776) . The two pictorial representations differed only by the presence of handles in the most recent one. XRF measurements revealed that the handles of the object are composed by brass while the other parts are composed by bronze suggesting the handles as being a later addition to the original object. The artifact is covered at its surface by a fairly thick corrosion patina. In order to determine the bronze bulk composition without the need for removing the outer patina, the artifact has been modeled as a two layer object in Monte Carlo simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The analytical study of Cultural Heritage objects often requires merely a qualitative determination of composition and manufacturing technology. However, sometimes a qualitative estimate is not sufficient, for example when dealing with multilayered metallic objects. Under such circumstances a quantitative estimate of the chemical contents of each layer is sometimes required in order to determine the technology that was used to produce the object. A quantitative analysis is often complicated by the surface state: roughness, corrosion, incrustations that remain even after restoration, due to efforts to preserve the patina. Furthermore, restorers will often add a protective layer on the surface. In all these cases standard quantitative methods such as the fundamental parameter based approaches are generally not applicable. An alternative approach is presented based on the use of Monte Carlo simulations for quantitative estimation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Generally, quantitative X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis estimates the content of chemical elements in a sample based on the areas of the fluorescence peaks in the energy spectrum. Besides the concentration of the elements, the peak areas depend also on the geometrical conditions. In fact, the estimate of the peak areas is simple if the sample surface is smooth and if the spectrum shows a good statistic (large-area peaks). For this reason often the sample is prepared as a pellet. However, this approach is not always feasible, for instance when cultural heritage or valuable samples must be analyzed. In this case, the sample surface cannot be smoothed. In order to address this problem, several works have been reported in the literature, based on experimental measurements on a few sets of specific samples or on Monte Carlo simulations. The results obtained with the first approach are limited by the specific class of samples analyzed, while the second approach cannot be applied to arbitrarily irregular surfaces. The present work describes a more general analysis tool based on a new fast Monte Carlo algorithm, which is virtually able to simulate any kind of surface. At the best of our knowledge, it is the first Monte Carlo code with this option. A study of the influence of surface irregularities on the measured spectrum is performed and some results reported. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This work presents the recent developments of xraylib, an ANSI C library that provides convenient access to a large number of X-ray related databases, with a focus on quantitative X-ray fluorescence applications. The enhancements include improved X-ray fluorescence production cross sections that take into account cascade effects and M-lines, as well as revised line energies, atomic level widths, Compton broadening profiles etc. A full overview of the complete application programming interface is presented. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A spectrometric protocol combining Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry with Monte Carlo simulations of experimental spectra using the XRMC code package has been applied for the first time to characterize the elemental composition of a series of famous Iron Age small scale archaeological bronze replicas of ships (known as the “ Navicelle ”) from the Nuragic civilization in Sardinia, Italy. The proposed protocol is a useful, nondestructive and fast analytical tool for Cultural Heritage sample. In Monte Carlo simulations, each sample was modeled as a multilayered object composed by two or three layers depending on the sample: when all present, the three layers are the original bronze substrate, the surface corrosion patina and an outermost protective layer (Paraloid) applied during past restorations. Monte Carlo simulations were able to account for the presence of the patina/corrosion layer as well as the presence of the Paraloid protective layer. It also accounted for the roughness effect commonly found at the surface of corroded metal archaeological artifacts. In this respect, the Monte Carlo simulation approach adopted here was, to the best of our knowledge, unique and enabled to determine the bronze alloy composition together with the thickness of the surface layers without the need for previously removing the surface patinas, a process potentially threatening preservation of precious archaeological/artistic artifacts for future generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Molí del Barò-1 site is located in south-central Pyrenees (Spain) and is dated to about 66.5 Ma (latest Cretaceous), just before the end Cretaceous mass extinction that wiped out most dinosaurs and many other groups of organisms. The site has yielded one of the richest fossil assemblages of the continental upper Maastrichtian from western Europe. A combined investigation by X-ray fluorescence (XRF), Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR) and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), supplemented with the Rietveld analysis, was conducted on twenty-seven fossil bone samples from Molí del Baró-1 vertebrate-bearing fossil site to investigate taphonomy and diagenetic processes in terms of physico-chemical properties. The XRD analysis confirms the unusual presence of celestite and other rare sulphates in the bone structure. Previous explanations of the presence and sometimes abundance of celestite in the fossil bones from this site were based on the supposed total absence of marine water in the original depositionary environment. New geological information suggesting the possibility of marine influence allows formulating an alternative hypothesis focused on the peculiar environment of deposition of Molí del Baró-1 site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]