Nuclear Track Studies in India: A Historical Review

Abstract

Nuclear Tracks originate from the  spontaneous fission of Uranium in  minerals and can be revealed by etching with suitable chemical reagents as tracks. The applications of Nuclear Tracks were developed by R.L. Fleischer, P.B. Price and R.M. Walker in USA in various fields, viz., Geology, Biology, Archaeology, Nuclear Physics, Reactor Physics, Earthquake Studies and Space Physics. An historical review of Nuclear Track Studies in India is presented in this paper along with contributions made by the author's group. This technique became popular in developing countries as it involved minimal investments with maximum output of research publications in diverse fields.