Is there a common alpha-efficiency in polymineral samples measured by various infrared stimulated luminescence protocols?

Abstract Dating of polymineral silt-sized samples by use of post-infrared infrared stimulated luminescence (pIRIR) protocols at elevated temperature has recently gained attraction due to assumed lower rates of anomalous fading. The α-efficiency (or a-value) associated with the pIRIR signals as an integral part of age calculation has, however, not yet been sufficiently constrained. Here we present a set of 65 a-values determined for 47 samples collected across Europe with two different IRSL protocols in two laboratories. By testing the basic preconditions for application of the single-aliquot regeneration (SAR) procedure to constrain a-values and by comparing SAR results to a-values obtained by multiple-aliquot protocols, we demonstrate that SAR-derived a-values are reliable for the majority of samples. While aliquot size and signal resetting mode prior to α-regeneration do not appear to affect the resulting a-value, we detected significant differences in mean a-values measured in the two laboratories. For the pIRIR290 signal, a-values average to 0.085 ± 0.010 (Bayreuth) and 0.101 ± 0.014 (Cologne), while a modified SAR protocol yields 0.081 ± 0.008 (Bayreuth). Whereas provenance-specific differences in a-values might be masked by overall scatter, systematic offsets between laboratories are attributed to technical issues such as heater and source calibration. Based on the present data set, use of the same routine dating equipment is strongly advised for both dose and a-value measurements.