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Description
The Muon-Induced X-ray Emission (MIXE) technique was used to investigate elemental components of dinosaur tooth samples. In this technique, a high rate of negative muon beam at the PiE1 area of Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), Switzerland, impinged on the samples. A muon orbited around a nucleus in a high excitation state. The muon cascaded down to a lower level together with characteristic X-ray emission. The energy and intensity of the characteristic X-rays could unveil unknown elemental components and a relative amount of them, respectively. The stopping depth of the muons depended on the beam momentum, therefore, this technique can investigate depth-dependently with a resolution order of millimeters. Moreover, the MIXE technique is non-destructive since it will not cause the sample radioactive or heat. Thus, the MIXE technique is suitable for valuable or areological samples. The dinosaur teeth of Carchrodontosaur theropod, Iguanodontian ornithopod, and Spinosaurid found in Nakhon Ratchasima province, Thailand, were tested with the MIXE technique. The elemental components in the enamel and dentin layers of the teeth were investigated and compared.
