ON THE ORIGIN OF THERMOLUMINESCENCE IN gamma -IRRADIATED PURE AND ME^{2 +} DOPED KCl CRYSTALS - 1.

Thermoluminescence of gamma -irradiated KCl crystals containing various impurities like Sr**2** plus , Pb**2** plus , and OH** minus is examined. The results point out the essential role of OH** minus radiolysis products in the radiative recombination process in which oxygen ions (e. g. O**2** minus ) and the holes are involved. The glow peaks should therefore appear at temperatures corresponding to the thermal dissociation of the trapped-hole centers. The lack of thermoluminescence in crystals displaying high OH** minus concentration or doped with Pb**2** plus ions is ascribed to the lack of the ″intrinsic″ trapped-hole centers.