Luminescence Geochronology Laboratory

The Luminescence Geochronology Laboratory (Legal) is a multi-user facility for luminescence research applied to geological and archaeological materials (sediments, soils, rocks, and ceramics). Research aims include geochronology and sediment tracing (provenance analysis) to solve problems in landscape evolution, geomorphology, paleoclimatology, archeology, source-to-sink systems, and sedimentary basin analysis. The laboratory was inaugurated in 2012 under the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) Multi-user Equipment Program (EMU) and has since increased its analytical capabilities and diversified its scientific scope. Legal works closely with several research groups based in Brazil and abroad, engaging graduate students and early-career researchers. Research topics emphasize environmental and climate changes in South America, but also include the development and improvement of luminescence methods applied to Geosciences. Our laboratory encourages multidisciplinary collaborative projects that apply luminescence tools. It also provides luminescence dating and provenance services, with support and basic information about sampling, sample preparation, data analysis, and data interpretation.

Research staff

Alessandro Oliveira de Moraes Nogueira
Thaís Aparecida Silva
Sameeksha Kaushik
Priscila Emerich Souza
Paulo César Fonseca Giannini
Fabiano do Nascimento Pupim
Fernanda C. G. Rodrigues
Thays Desiree Mineli
André Oliveira Sawakuchi

Contact

Address: Luminescence and Gamma Spectrometry Laboratory (LEGAL), Institute of Geosciences, University of São Paulo, Rua do Lago, 562, CEP 05508-080, São Paulo, Brazil

Phone: +55 11 3091-0497

E-mail: legal@usp.br