Short communication: Experimental factors affecting fission-track counts in apatite

Abstract. The tools for interpreting fission-track data are evolving apace, but, even so, the outcomes cannot be better than data. Recent studies showed that track etching and observation affect confined-track length measurements. We investigated effects of grain orientation, polishing, on counts in apatite. Our findings throw light phenomena hence sample ages, whilst raising question: what as an etched surface track? This is pertinent to manual automatic designing training strategies neural networks. Counting prism faces using ? calibration age calculation assumed deal with most etching- counting-related factors. However, not unproblematic counting, other orientations unusable. results suggest a reinvestigation properties different apatite could increase range useful dating lift significant restriction provenance studies.