ANALYSIS OF ILKHANIDS SILVER COINS DISCOVERED IN THE GREAT MOSQUE OF ARDABIL CITY IN NORTHWESTERN IRAN, BY PIXE METHOD

Город Ардебиль - один из древних городов Ирана, где сохранилось более 10 исторических памятников доисламского и исламского периодов, в частности, остатки Большой мечети - одной из первых больших мечетей Ирана, некогда возвышавшейся на берегу реки Балыклы-Чай. В 2009-2012 гг. в ходе работ по восстановлению Большой мечети было обнаружено множество монет: золотых византийских, медных - эпохи Атабеков и серебряных - династии Илханидов XI-XIII вв. Этот факт указывает на использование данного религиозного памятника в течение длительного времени. В статье подробно описывается методика исследования серебряных монет, найденных в Большой мечети и связанных с началом истории Илханидов. Результаты анализа элементного состава металла пяти монет методом PIXE - высокое содержание серебра и наличие золота вместе со значительным снижением содержания меди -свидетельствуют о благоприятных экономических условиях и расцвете культуры в период правления Илханидов. Авторы предполагают, что и серебро, и медь добывались в месторождениях, находившихся в окрестностях Тебриза. Existence of more than 10 historical sites dating back to pre-Islamic and Islamic periods, especially, the architectural remains of the Great Mosque located on bank of the Balikhlli chai river running through Ardabil indicates the significance of the city of Ardabil. Numerous Byzantine golden coins, Atabegs copper and Ilkhanids silver coins belonging to 11th to 13th centuries AD were found during the extensive activities on reparation of the Great Mosque in 2009-2012. This fact evidences that this religious monument has been used for a long time. The article focuses on Ilkhanids silvers coins. The investigation of the silver coins from the Great Mosque shows that they are related with the beginnings of Ilkhanids' history. PIXE analysis of some of the silver coins shows high purity of silver and gold in metal composition of coins and points to good economic conditions, medicine improvement and cultural dehiscence during Ilkhanid period and the preceding periods. The authors suppose the extract of copper and presence of silver in Tabriz surroundings.

Determination of Silicon and Chromium in Gold Matrix Using Proton Induced X-Ray Emission

The research aimed at the determination of elemental concentrations of silicon and chromium in five geological samples at the mining site of Garin Awwal area using the method of PIXE for analyses. The choice PIXE method in this research was due to its high sensitivity and multi-element capability that analyzes any element from sodium to uranium in a single spectrum. PIXE technique of 2.5MeV proton beam was used to characterize five samples. Samples were irradiated and analyzed at Centre for Energy Research and Development, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria. From the Spectra and results generated, silicon and chromium are of commercial deposit in the area, alongside other elements such as Iron(Fe), Magnesium(Mg) and Aluminium(Al) which appear to be deposited in commercial quantities in the area.

New Clues on the Origin of the “Inca Mirror” at the Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris

Since at least 1742, the mineralogical collection of the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle (MNHN) in Paris has hosted, under the reference number 22.U, a biconvex lens-shaped obsidian artifact, also described as a mirror, measuring 250 mm in diameter and finely polished on both faces. It has usually been ascribed to the shipment sent by Hernán Cortez in 1522 to the Emperor Charles V, which was captured by a French privateer. We investigated the object using modern techniques. The elemental composition of the obsidian determined by the particle induced X-ray emission (PIXE) method showed that the raw material originates from the Mullumica deposit (Ecuador). Documentary investigations revealed that the lens (renumbered No. 176.101) was sent in 1737 from Quito, Ecuador (at that time part of the viceroyalty of Peru), to France by members of the Godin–La Condamine geodesic expedition (1735–1743). The mirror is thus among the rare Ecuadorian archeological or colonial artifacts to have reached the Old World during the eighteenth century.

PIXE analysis of concrete composition in a research reactor facility under decommissioning

This study conducted an evaluation of elemental composition of concrete in an old nuclear reactor facility using the particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) technique. Given that the physical volume of the concrete is huge, easy, and quick analysis of many samples via the PIXE method can expedite the decommissioning work. The result of this study confirmed that it is possible to use the PIXE method for detecting light and medium-heavy elements (from Na to Fe) in concrete without the complicated chemical treatment. Some of these elements contain parent nuclides of Na-24, Al-28, and Fe-55, which are dominant components with residual radioactivity for a period of up to 10 years after facility shutdown.

On PIXE Analysis of Medical Samples: Thalassemia & Wilson

The contents of six elements (Cl, K, Ca, Fe, Cu, Zn) for medical samples of 30 patients (15 with wilson's disease and 15 with Thalassemia's disease) were determined by proton induced X-ray emission (PIXE) method. In analysis of these samples, abnormal contents of Cu for wilson's disease and of Fe for Thalassemia's disease were observed which shows that for these cases the situation of patient's illness is very serious.

PIXE analysis of stream water following the Mt. Hakone eruption on 30 June 2015 — temporal changes in elemental concentrations over two years

After the 2011 Off the Pacific Coast of Tohoku Earthquake on 11 March, 2011, volcanic activity in Japan was observed to increase. In this study, we use the PIXE method to analyze elemental concentrations in stream water flowing directly from the fumarolic area on Mount Hakone, which erupted on 30 June 2015. Throughout a two-year monitoring period following the eruption, concentrations of 12 dissolved elements were measured. We found that the stream water was strongly acidic. For one year after the eruption, the concentrations of magma-derived elements (S, Cl) and rock-derived elements (Al, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, and Na), except for Si, showed a clear decreasing trend. These measurements suggest that magmatic activity and fumarolic activity reduced gradually over one year. After this year-long period, elemental concentrations stopped decreasing and instead showed broadly flat levels with sporadic increases and decreases. However, throughout the year immediately following the eruption, the number of volcanic earthquakes was consistently at zero or close to zero. These different indications of volcanic activity suggest that the elemental concentrations in stream water may be more sensitive indicators of small changes in subterranean behavior than of the number of volcanic earthquakes.