Radioisotopes Studies in the Geosciences

Dear Colleagues,

Radioactive isotopes of diverse chemical elements are widespread on the Universe and in the different geochemical reservoirs of the Earth, and they have a wide array of half-lives, from the order of the Big Bang age to less than a second.

These features make them an important source of information on a variety of processes, from cosmological to anthropogenic, and they have been used in studies based on their distribution and the proportion of isotopes, as well as on their radiation signal (namely, gamma radiation).

Radioactive decay is also a source of energy for nuclear plants and geothermal installations, applications that could be used in the decarbonization of human civilization.

However, radioactive isotopes can also be a source of worries, concerning their emissions of gamma radiation and radon, and in relation to their presence in terrains and building materials, as well as in terms of the processing of nuclear waste.

This Special Issue welcomes high-quality contributions with new results as well as reviews with syntheses that propose new perspectives. Potential examples of suitable subjects include:

• Evolution of the cosmos and cosmological bodies;
• Petrogenetic processes;
• Mineral deposits of radioactive chemical elements;
• Exploration techniques of radioactive minerals and associated substances;
• Radioactivity measurements for geotechnical characterization of terrains;
• Environmental impacts of radioisotopes migration;
• Dating of terrains and human objects;
• Radioisotopes and geothermal energy;
• Assessment of hazards related to the presence of radioisotopes in terrains and geological materials;
• Geological issues related to the storage of radioactive waste;
• Relations between radioisotopes and geological hazards such as Earthquakes;
• Practical applications of cosmic radiation in Geosciences.

Manuscripts on other themes related to the use of radioisotopes for studies in the Geosciences will also be welcome.

Dr. Jorge Sanjurjo-Sánchez
Dr. Carlos Alves
Dr. Carlos Figueiredo
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.