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In the present work, the thermoluminescence (TL) properties and kinetics of beta‐irradiated porcelain used as an electrical insulator are investigated in great depth. Thermal annealing at 1100°C slightly changes the trap system, whereas heating over 500°C increases the visual TL intensity of the peaks. X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, atomic absorption spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were used to confirm the structural, morphological, and chemical investigations of the materials. The TL glow curve characteristics, repeatability, storage time properties, and dose–response behavior of non‐annealed and annealed porcelain have all been well investigated. Within the confidence interval, the material has been demonstrated to have excellent reusability. A linear response in the dose range of 0.1–3 Gy was observed. TM–Ts, initial rise, and computerized glow curve deconvolution methodologies were used to complete the kinetic study. The outcomes of the detailed investigations demonstrated that the sample was suitable for TL dosimetry potential uses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here we investigated the effects of annealing, heating rate and fading (after annealing at 800 °C) on the thermoluminescence (TL) glow curves of natural quartz (NQ). All of the samples were annealed at different temperatures between 100 °C and 800 °C and then irradiated with a beta dose of about 34 Gray (Gy), in order to determine the effects of annealing treatments on TL peaks of natural quartz. TL glow curves of the samples were recorded. It was observed that the intensities of TL peaks were strongly sensitive to annealing temperatures at 800 °C. The heating rate and fading effect of TL peaks of natural quartz were examined for the annealed samples at 800 °C for 30 min. It was observed that the intensities of the TL peaks were differently affected from heating rate and fading. Additionally, TL kinetic parameters (activation energy, frequency factor and order of kinetics) of all peaks were determined for annealed samples using a computerized glow curve deconvolution (CGCD) method and Mathematica software. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Fertile Crescent of the Middle East region, embracing Syria, eastern Turkey and Iraq, marks the region where settled agriculture began, and where the landscape has been shaped for millennia by human activities. The lacustrine and fluvial terraces of the Late Pleistocene and Holocene Eras are common geomorphic features in many areas around Lake Van in eastern Turkey, being sustainably used since the Urartian Period (800–400 yearsbc). Fluctuations in the water levels of Lake Van have resulted in the development of widely distributed natural terraces around the Lake. The undulating slopes of these terraces have limited their cultivation, however, leading people to reconstruct terraces as a means for utilizing particular production sites, as anthroscapes (this concept is generally confined to situations where marked differences or deviations from the normal, natural landscapes are attributable to effects/shaping by humans). The region exhibits semiarid climatic conditions and a short crop-growing season, currently being under the threat of land degradation. Recent mismanagement of these lands as a result of increasing population pressures has led to the degradation of both the natural and the man-made terraces. Thus, there is an urgent need to conserve and understand the indigenous management and soil quality attributes of these man-made terraces. To this end, this study examined soil profiles and analysed soil samples for their chemical, physical and mineralogical characteristics, in order to determine the human effects of leaching and/or accumulation. These analyses revealed significant differences between the physical, chemical, microbiological and mineralogical properties of the man-made/reworked terraces and natural terraces under essentially similar parent materials and environment, thereby providing clues as to the sustainable management of these land surfaces in eastern Turkey. The approaches used in this study provide useful evidence for attempting to explain the historical evolution of land use in similar environments elsewhere, as well as the significance of terraces in combating coastal erosion in lake environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]