Editorial

TL;DR: The APLED conference series aims to provide a platform for exchange of ideas on luminescence and ESR dating methods, and to encourage participation of young students. The second meeting attracted over 100 participants from 14 countries and presented a good combination of methodological, physics and applications aspects.

Abstract: The Asia Pacific Luminescence and Electron Spin Resonance Dating (APLED) Conference Series was initiated by Dr. Shenghua Li and the first meeting was held during 2006 in Hongkong. The basic aim was to provide a platform for exchange of ideas on application of the luminescence and electron spin resonance methods to workers from the Asia Pacific region and to encourage the participation of young students. The second Asia Pacific Luminescence and Electron Spin Resonance Dating (APLED-2) Conference was held at the Physical Research Laboratory Ahmadabad during Nov. 12-14, 2011. This meeting attracted over 100 participants from 14 countries. A total of 91 abstracts were presented and these were structured into 1 inaugural key note address by Prof. A.G. Wintle; 14 invited talks by eminent workers covering various aspect of conference themes ranging from geological applications of luminescence and ESR to dating of surfaces, modeling of dosimetric aspects, to progress report on the proposal for insitu dating of Martian surface and on luminescence of meteoritics; two evening lectures on, Radiation dosimetry in India during the past five decades by Dr. B.C. Bhatt (Bhabha Atomic Reseach Centre) and, on Color and Spectrometry of Diamonds by Dr. M.D.Sastry (Gemmological Institute of India, Mumbai); 34 papers were presented orally and the rest were as posters. Two important highlights of the meeting were a Special Public lecture by Dr. Shailesh Nayak, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India, who outlined his vision of Earth Sciences for societal good in the country and, the presentation by the Directors of cosponsoring institutions, viz. Dr. V.P. Dimri of the National Geophysical Research Laboratory, Hyderabad; Dr. A. Ganjoo, of the Snow and Avalanche studies centre at Manali and Dr. B.K. Rastogi of the Institute of Seismological Research at Gandhinagar. All of them outlined their expectation from the luminescence dating community, having established such laboratroties in their respective institutions. The meeting presented a good combination of methodological, physics and applications aspects and in addition several archeologists and geologists were invited to participate and generate new discussion on specific problems and application areas. The present volume comprises a selection of papers submitted, and these have successfully gone through the standard peer review process of Geochronometria. The meeting also had the privilege of honoring two of the senior most luminescence workers of India in Professor I.K. Koul (Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur – retired) and Prof. C.M. Sunta (Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India – retired). A one day, 300 km field trip to show luminescence dated Fluvio-Aeolian Sites on the Mahi River was conducted by Dr. Navin Juyal (Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad), Prof. L.S. Chamyal and Dr. Alpa Sridhar (MS University of Baroda, Vadodara). A visit to the recently established Insitute of Sesimological Research was also arranged. The scientific level and the overall enthusiasm of the participants indicated that these meeting will continue with fervor and vigor. The next meeting will be organized in Japan by Prof. S. Toyoda during 2012. We thank Dr. B. Vaishnav and all those who helped with the organization of this meeting. Particular thanks are due to Ms. Komal Wadhvani and Mr. N.S. Madhavan efficient secretarial work; the students of the luminescence laboratory at PRL Ahmedabad, R.H. Biswas, N. Chauhan, P. Morthekai, M.K. Murari, D.P. Shinde and other student volunteers did most of the scientific coordination. We thank the Director PRL for his permission to host this meeting and the PRL administration for their willing supports and coordination. We finally thank the following institutions for the financial support. 1) Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India 2) Department of Science and Technology, Government of India 3) Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad (Host institution) 4) Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradun 5) Snow and Avelance Study Centre, Defence Research and Development Organization, Manali 6) National Geophysical Research Laboratory, Hyderabad