A Preliminary Investigation on the Identification of Artificial Irradiation in Thermoluminescence Pre-Dose Dating of Ancient Chinese Porcelain

This study investigates the identification of artificial irradiation in thermoluminescence (TL) pre-dose dating of ancient Chinese porcelain to address the challenges posed by sophisticated counterfeiting techniques. While TL pre-dose dating is effective for authenticating ceramics, modern imitations artificially irradiated to mimic ancient doses complicate accurate age determination. By analyzing the TL characteristics of five historical porcelain samples (Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties) and artificially irradiated modern replicas, distinct differences were observed. Natural irradiation samples exhibited lower TL sensitivity, less smooth glow curves, and reduced linear regression fit (R2 < 0.97) compared to artificial counterparts, which showed higher sensitivity, smoother curves, and superior linearity (R2 > 0.97). The following methodology was proposed: annealing samples to erase natural signals, applying equivalent artificial doses, and comparing TL responses. The results demonstrated significant disparities in TL behavior between ancient and irradiated samples, enabling discrimination. This approach enhances the reliability of TL pre-dose dating for porcelain authentication, offering a practical solution to combat forgery in cultural heritage preservation.