• Skip to main content

The University of Glasgow uses cookies for analytics. Find out more about our Privacy policy.

We use cookies

Necessary cookies

Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.

Analytics cookies

Analytical cookies help us improve our website. We use Google Analytics. All data is anonymised.

ON OFF

Clarity

Clarity helps us to understand our users’ behaviour by visually representing their clicks, taps and scrolling. All data is anonymised.

ON OFF

Privacy policy


  • Luminescence Research
  • Research
  • Laboratories
  • Projects
  • Commercial
  • Study With Us
  • People
  • About the Centre
  • News
  • Contact Us
  • Study
  • Research
  • Explore
  • Connect
Search icon
Close menu icon
Menu icon bar 1 Menu icon bar 2 Menu icon bar 3
University of Glasgow logo small University of Glasgow logo
  • Home
  • Research
  • Research units A-Z
  • SUERC
  • Luminescence Research

Luminescence Research

  • Luminescence Research
  • Research
  • Laboratories
  • Projects
  • Commercial
  • Study With Us
  • People
  • About the Centre
  • News
  • Contact Us

The Luminescence Laboratories were established in 1986 and have extensive facilities for luminescence research and applications including thermoluminescence (TL) and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating and detection of irradiated foods.  The laboratory developed EN1788 and EN13751 methods for detection of food irradiation, has a database of more than 22,000 analyses.

Luminescence dating applies to a wide variety of heated (ceramic and lithic) and sedimentary materials covering the age range from 1-106 years, with important applications to archaeological and geoscience research. Instrumentation for food analysis (Pulsed Photostimulated Luminescence) and sediment characterisation (portable OSL readers) have been developed and supplied to laboratories worldwide. 

Luminescence Research

Get in touch: Prof David Sanderson

 
Environment & Health  Earth Systems 
 
People & Place  Innovation & Technology 
 

Projects

Full listings

Techniques & Technologies

SUERC TL Readers

measure separated mineral samples for food analysis (EN1788), materials characterisation and environment dosimetry

SUERC PSL Spectrometers

characterise excitation and luminescence properties of irradiated materials

SUERC Laser Scanning OSL Systems

studying heterogeneous microdosimetry of natural materials, direct images of optically bleached rock slices for surface exposure dating

Luminescence systems for TL/OSL dating

3 Risoe DA15/DA20 TL/OSL readers including single grain facilities

SUERC PPSL Systems

EN13751 screening of irradiated foods used by both regulatory and food supply sectors

SUERC portable OSL readers

to characterise archaeological and environmental sediment sequences to help understand formation processes

Hitachi S3400N Scanning Electron Microscope with Oxford INCA EDS system

provides information on shape, size, texture and composition and uniformity of quartz, feldspar and polymineral separates

People

  • David Sanderson
  • Alan Cresswell
  • Scott Fitzgerald
Back to the top

STUDY

  • Subjects A-Z
  • Undergraduate
  • Postgraduate
  • Online study
  • Short courses
  • International students
  • Student life
  • Scholarships and funding
  • Visit us / Open Days

RESEARCH

  • Research units A-Z
  • Research opportunities A-Z
  • Glasgow Research Beacons
  • Research strategy & policies
  • Research excellence
  • Our research environment

EXPLORE

  • Meet World Changing Glasgow
  • City of Glasgow
  • Visit us
  • Accessibility
  • Maps and travel
  • News 
  • Events
  • Schools
  • Colleges
  • Services
  • Library
  • University strategies

CONNECT

  • Staff A-Z
  • Information for our alumni
  • Support us
  • Business & innovation
  • Community and public engagement
  • Social Media listings
  • Ask a student
  • Complaints

JOBS AT GLASGOW

  • Current vacancies

University of Glasgow

  • Facebook
  • Bluesky
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Twitter
  • tiktok
  • Linkedin
  • bilibili
  • Little Red Book
  • WeChat
  • Weibo

The University of Glasgow is a registered Scottish charity: Registration Number SC004401

Research units A-Z

  • Contact us

Legal

  • Accessibility statement
  • Freedom of information
  • FOI publication scheme
  • Modern Slavery Statement
  • Privacy and cookies
  • Terms of use

Current students

  • MyGlasgow Students

Staff

  • MyGlasgow Staff
together against gender-based violence