The Geoscience department at UFV is the home of a luminescence dating laboratory, currently the only one of its kind in Western Canada.
Under the leadership of its director, this research involves the collection of sediment samples in locations as diverse as Arctic Canada, BC's central coast, Australia, and Patagonia. These samples are then dated, and the age information is used to help understand the nature of long-term environmental change.
The laboratory welcomes visiting colleagues from other universities, and, from time to time, undertakes limited contract work.
The luminescence dating laboratory consists of two separate laboratory rooms — one is dedicated to chemical and physical preparation of sediment samples, while the other contains the instrumentation required to conduct luminescence dating experiments.
Access to the luminescence dating laboratory is highly restricted and controlled.
To request more information or a visit to the facility, please contact Dr. Olav Lian.
History
The laboratory absorbed and replaced the Optical and Thermoluminescence dating laboratory in the Physics Department at Simon Fraser University, which closed due to the retirement of its director, Prof. D.J. Huntley.
After much delay, construction of the UFV laboratory was completed in the spring of 2007, and a new Risø TL/OSL-DA-20 dating system and other equipment were installed in November of that year.
Laboratory Director