(Virtual Event) Technical Meeting on Developments in Non-Radiocarbon Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Techniques and Relevant Applications

Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS), initially developed at low-energy nuclear physics laboratories in the late 70s- beginning of 80s, has been proved to be not only an ultra-sensitive technique for counting individual atoms but also an accelerator-based method with a vast potential for analytical applications related to problems of modern society. Nowadays, AMS is used in archaeology, biomedicine applications, climate change studies, environmental monitoring, hydrology and oceanography, nuclear safeguards, forensics, and many other fields of increased societal and economical interest. AMS is used to detect radionuclides and stable nuclides with very low concentrations, between 10⁻¹² and 10⁻¹⁶ . In contrast to other methods, AMS requires much shorter measuring times, typically less than one hour, as well as much smaller amounts of samples, often at sub-milligram range. The most widely employed isotope is radiocarbon (14C), which used by at least 85% of the analyses performed in AMS laboratories. Besides radiocarbon, the use of other isotopes, such as 10Be, 26Al, 36Cl, 41Ca, 129I, or U and Pu isotopes is continuously increasing, due to their unique analytical capabilities for a wide spectrum of applications. The present Technical Meeting on Developments in Non-Radiocarbon Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Techniques and Relevant Applications is driven by the need to promote the unique analytical capabilities of non-radiocarbon AMS, disseminate the relevant knowledge and expertise and advancing technologiesPage 2 to IAEA Member States together with AMS’s large potential for contributing to their socio-economic development.

Objectives

The purpose of the event is to:

1. Review progress made on the technologies associated with the sample preparation and subsequent use in AMS of radioisotopes besides radiocarbon.
2. Review technological developments and achievements at AMS laboratories using radioisotopes besides radiocarbon.
3. Discuss current and emerging applications based on anthropogenic and cosmogenic radioisotopes apart from radiocarbon.
4. Record training needs in the field addressed by the Technical Meeting, especially for scientists from developing countries.
5. Collect and evaluate scientific information for the preparation of an IAEA TECDOC, if required.
6. Identify special research and development topics of common interest for the participants to assess the need of initiating an IAEA Coordinated Research Project (CRP).

Topics

A non-exhaustive list of topics to be covered by the Technical Meeting is given below:

• Advanced accelerator systems for AMS with radioisotopes besides radiocarbon
• New and advanced AMS techniques
• Advances in sample preparation methods
• Current and emerging non-radiocarbon AMS applications
• Analytical requirements in terms of sensitivity and measurement precision
• New and Future Facilities
• Networking

Participation and Registration

All persons wishing to participate in the event have to be designated by an IAEA Member State or should be members of organizations that have been invited to attend. In order to be designated by an IAEA Member State, participants are requested to send the Participation Form (Form A) to their competent national authority (e.g. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Permanent Mission to the IAEA or National Atomic Energy Authority) for onward transmission to the IAEA by 6 September 2021. Participants who are members of an organization invited to attend are requested to send the Participation Form (Form A) through their organization to the IAEA by above deadline. Selected participants will be informed in due course on the procedures to be followed with regard to administrative and technical matters.

Papers and Presentations 

Participants who wish to give presentations are requested to submit an abstract of their work. The abstract will be reviewed as part of the selection process for presentations. The abstract should be in A4 page format, should extend to no more than 2 pages (including figures and tables) and should not exceed 1000 words (including author names, affiliations, and acknowledgments, if necessary). It should be sent electronically to Mr. Sotirios Charisopoulos, Scientific Secretary of the event (see contact details below), not later than 6 September 2021. Authors will be notified of the acceptance of their proposed presentations by 20 September 2021. 

In addition, participants have to submit the abstract together with the Participation Form (Form A) and the attached Form for Submission of a Paper (Form B) to their competent national authority (e.g. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Permanent Mission to the IAEA or National Atomic Energy Authority) or their organization for onward transmission to the IAEA not later than 6 September 2021.

Deadlines

• 6 September 2021: Deadline for submission of abstracts according to the instructions given above for paper selection
• 6 September 2021: Submission of Form A and Form B (if an abstract is to be presented) by the participant’s Member State to the IAEA
• 20 September 2021: Notification of acceptance of contribution to participants sent by email
• 1 October 2021: Submission, by email, of invitation letters to participants
• 11 October 2021: Start of the Technical Meeting