A Model of Linear Uranium Accumulation for ESR Age of Heidelberg (Mauer) and Tautavel Bones

Abstract

Electron spin resonance (ESR) dating of anthropologically important Heidelberg and Tautavel bones has been made based on a model of uranium-series disequilibrium and a linear accumulation of uranium. Theoretical equation and graphic solution are presented to obtain the age from the total dose of natural radiation ( TD ) derived from the result of ESR dating. The model shifts the ESR ages considerably to the old side as the accumulation of uranium into an open-system fossil bone was taken into account.