Electron microprobe data processing: a comparison of three computational methods

A fourfold series of microprobe analyses was performed. The materials examined consisted of five specimens of garnet and one of silicate glass, all currently used as microprobe standards. During the microprobe data reduction, three, basically different types of computer programs were applied. The results are practically independent of the computer program used. The excellence of the reproducibility within the four series of analyses is evident. The microprobe data are also compared with conventional wet chemical analyses