Luminescence Dating Laboratory
Luminescence Dating Laboratory
The Geoscience department at UFV is the home of a luminescence dating laboratory, currently the only one of its kind in Western Canada. 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.
Under the leadership of Olav Lian as director, this research involves the collection of sediment samples in locations as diverse as Canada, BC's central coast and interior, East coast of North America, 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 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.
The laboratory welcomes visiting colleagues from other universities, and undergraduate/graduate students who are interested in working with us.
To request more information or a visit to the facility, please contact Dr. Olav Lian.