Comminution dating
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Comminution dating is a developing radiometric dating technique based on the disequilibrium between uranium isotopes in fine-grained sediments.[1]
An alpha-particle with a finite energy is emitted during the alpha decay of uranium-238 to uranium-234 via the short-lived thorium-234. In order to conserve momentum, the daughter nuclide, uranium-234, is recoiled. In silicate mineral grains with high surface-area-to-volume ratios, a certain fraction of nuclides may be directly ejected into the surrounding medium (water or air).