NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL MATERIALS: AN OVERVIEW OF THE ITN NAA LABORATORY, PORTUGAL
Abstract
Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) has been applied to archaeological samples at the Portuguese Research Reactor (RPI) since 1973, and the number of samples analysed has increased steadily since the mid‐1990s. Archaeometric applications of INAA at RPI include the analysis of archaeological ceramics and the stones used in monumental architecture (menhirs) and other historical monuments. A programme of analysis also exists for measuring the precision of and contributing to the certified values of geochemical reference samples. In addition, the study of interference factors is performed to obtain better accuracy in the determination of concentrations of some elements (e.g., corrections for spectral interferences from uranium fission products in the determination of barium, rare earth elements and zirconium).