wood and charcoal origin identification techniques

[avalonforce]

Hi,

I'm trying to do research on techniques that can be used to identify the tree source of wood and charcoal. I'm looking for references from scientific journals to start. Found one using x-ray diffraction methods. I will appreciate if anyone can send links to papers even abstracts that focus on this topic better yet focus on using the x-ray diffraction for this purpose.

 

Thanks in advance!

[Mr Skeptic]

What do you mean by "tree source"? Type of tree? Geographical location? Age?

[avalonforce]

tree source= the type of tree basically (the name of the tree both local and scientfic). if the technique can provide other information such as age location then that will be great.

[dirtyamerica]

Oh OK, because I was going to say that you answered your own question inside the question (wood comes from trees) LOL!

 

 

Interesting question though.

 

I'd suggest maybe getting in touch with a university renowned for plant sciences and asking them for some info.

[Double K]

Not all charcoal is a piece of wood.

It can be lightly charred organic matter, particles of soot with high graphite content formed by recompositing free radicals

Most types of charbonated matter is referred to as charcoal.

Any natural organic matter with an O/C percentage less than 0.6%

 

I think that they can identify it's age through radio-dating (kind of like speed dating only performed over the radio and less interesting?)

 

I'm sure you could get something useful out of here though..

 

http://www.acarp.com.au/