Comparison between luminescence and radiocarbon dating of late Quaternary loess from the Ili Basin in Central Asia

Dust depositions are critical archives for understanding interior aridification and westerly climatic changes in Central Asia. Accurate and reliable dating of loess is very important for interpreting and correlating environmental records. There remains a disparity between luminescence ages and radiocarbon dating of late Quaternary loess from the Ili Basin in Central Asia. In this study, we establish a closely spaced quartz optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) chronology for the 20.5-m-thick Nilka loess section in the Ili Basin. Based on OSL ages, two intervals of higher mass accumulation rate occurred at 49–43 ka and 24–14 ka. We further compare these OSL ages with 23 accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) ¹⁴C ages of bulk organic matter. The results indicate that the OSL and radiocarbon ages agree well for ages younger than ca. 25 ¹⁴C cal ka BP. However, beyond 30 cal ka BP, there is no consistent increase in AMS ¹⁴C age with depth, while the OSL ages continue to increase. These differences confirm the observation that the AMS ¹⁴C ages obtained using conventional acid–base–acid (ABA) pretreatment are severely underestimated in other terrestrial deposits in Central Asia, which could be due to 2–4% modern carbon contamination. However, OSL dating is applicable for constructing an accurate chronology beyond 30 cal ka BP. We suggest caution when interpreting paleoenvironmental changes based on radiocarbon ages older than 25 cal ka BP.     

A high-resolution quartz OSL chronology of the Talede loess over the past ∼30 ka and its implications for dust accumulation in the Ili Basin,Central Asia

Similar to the loess deposits on the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP), a reliable chronology plays also an important role in revisiting past climate and environment changes recorded by the loess in Central Asia. Previously, a few luminescence and ¹⁴C ages, mainly covering the last glacial, were obtained for several loess sections in Central Asia, which are often controversial. Until now, there is still a lack of reliable high-resolution chronologies covering the late Pleistocene, especially the Holocene. Here, the fine-grained (4–11 μm) quartz single-aliquot regenerative-dose (SAR) optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating protocol is used to establish a detailed chronology of the uppermost part (∼5 m) of Talede loess in the Ili Basin Central Asia. Conventional tests of the SAR protocol and the general luminescence characteristics indicate that this protocol is suitable for dating the Talede loess. Finally, 15 closely-spaced quartz OSL ages, ranging from 0.72 ± 0.05 to 28.9 ± 2.12 ka and with no reversals, were obtained. Consistent with previous studies in the Ili Basin, two of the three ¹⁴C ages show discrepancy when compared with quartz OSL ages for the Talede loess section. The constructed OSL chronology of the Talede loess reveals that the dust accumulation is rapid during marine isotope stage (MIS) 2, especially during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), and is also continuous during the Holocene, with the dust accumulation rate exhibiting a relatively low level and an increasing trend. Comparison of the dust accumulation at Talede with that at other sites in the Ili Basin indicates that the rapid dust accumulation during the LGM is not universal, and the slow dust accumulation during the Holocene is probably true for the entire Ili Basin. Comparison of different grain sized quartz OSL ages from Central Asian loess show characteristics of both consistency and inconsistency, which needs to be further investigated.     

Evaluating isothermal thermoluminescence and thermally transferred optically stimulated luminescence for dating of Pleistocene sediments in Amazonia

The paleogeography of Amazonia lowlands during the Pleistocene remains hampered by the lack of reliable absolute ages to constrain sediment deposition in the hundred thousand to few million years timescales. Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating applied to quartz has provided important chronological control for late Quaternary sediments, but the method is limited to the last ∼150 ka. In order to extend the age range of luminescence dating, new signals from quartz have been investigated. This study tested the application of isothermal thermoluminescence (ITL) and thermally transferred optically stimulated luminescence (TT-OSL) signals of quartz for dating of fluvial terraces from eastern Amazonia. ITL and TT-OSL signals measured in a modern fluvial sediment sample have shown small residual doses (4 and 16 Gy), suggesting adequate bleached sediments for the target dose range (>150 Gy). This sample responded well to dose recovery test, which showed that the ITL and TT-OSL signals grow to higher doses compared to the doses estimated by the conventional OSL signal. The ITL signal saturated for doses significantly lower than doses reported in the literature. Most dating samples were beyond the ITL saturation doses and only TT-OSL signals were suitable to estimate equivalent doses. Burial ages ranging from 107 to 340 ka were estimated for the fluvial terraces in the lower Xingu River. The main ages uncertainties are related to dose rate changes through time. Despite the uncertainties, these ages should indicate a higher channel base level during the Middle Pleistocene followed by channel incision, possibly due to episodes of increased precipitation in the Xingu watershed.     

Luminescence dating of quartz from ironstones of the Xingu River,Eastern Amazonia

This study reports on the first investigation into the potential of quartz luminescence dating to establish formation ages of ferruginous duricrust deposits (ironstones) of the Xingu River in Eastern Amazonia, Brazil. The studied ironstones comprise sand and gravel cemented by goethite (FeO(OH)), occurring as sandstones and conglomerates in the riverbed of the Xingu River, a major tributary of the Amazon River. The Xingu ironstones have a cavernous morphology and give origin to particular habitat for benthic biota in an area that hosts the largest rapids in Amazonia. So far, the Xingu ironstones have uncertain formation ages and their sedimentary origin is still poorly understood. In this way, seven samples of ironstones distributed along the lower Xingu River were collected for optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating of their detrital quartz sand grains. Additionally, the organic content of some samples was dated by radiocarbon (¹⁴C) for comparison with quartz OSL ages. The luminescence ages of the sand-sized quartz grains extracted from the ironstones were obtained from medium (100–300 grains) and small (10–20 grains) aliquots using the single aliquot regenerative-dose (SAR) protocol. Equivalent doses (D_e) distributions have varied overdispersion (OD) both for medium size aliquots (OD = 19–58 %) and small size aliquots (OD = 29–76 %). No significant trend was observed between D_e and aliquot size. The studied ironstones grow over the riverbed, but stay below or above water throughout the year due to the seasonal water level variation of the Xingu River. However, the effect of water saturation in dose rates is reduced due to relatively low porosity of ironstones. Water saturated dose rates (dry sample dose rates) range from 2.70 ± 0.21 (2.79 ± 0.22) Gy/ka to 12.34 ± 0.97 (13.26 ± 1.12) Gy/ka, which are relatively high when compared to values reported for Brazilian sandy sediments elsewhere (∼1 Gy/ka). Samples with high overdispersion (>40 %) are mainly attributed to mixing of grains trapped in different time periods by goethite cementation. The obtained OSL ages for water saturated (dry) samples range from 3.4 ± 0.3 (3.3 ± 0.4) ka to 59.6 ± 6.0 (58.1 ± 6.4) ka, using D_e determined from medium size aliquots and dose response curves fitted by an exponential plus linear function. Radiocarbon ages of the bulk organic matter extracted from selected ironstone varied from ca. 4 cal ka BP to ca. 23 cal ka BP. Significant differences were observed between OSL and radiocarbon ages, suggesting asynchronous trapping of organic matter and detrital quartz within the ironstone matrix. These late Pleistocene to Holocene ages indicate that ironstones of the Xingu River result from an active surface geochemical system able to precipitate goethite and cement detrital sediments under transport. The obtained ages and differences between OSL and radiocarbon ages point out that the ironstones have multiphase and spatially heterogeneous growth across the Xingu riverbed. Our results also expand the application of luminescence dating to different sedimentary deposits.     

Ages of Liangshan Paleolithic sites in Hanzhong Basin,central China

Thermally transferred optically stimulated luminescence (TT-OSL) dating extends the age range beyond current limits of OSL dating in Chinese loess. In this study, we use a single-aliquot regenerative-dose procedure for TT-OSL protocol to date Yaochangwan and Hejialiang localities of loess-covered Liangshan Paleolithic sites in Hanzhong Basin, which is an important area for the study of Paleolithic industries during the middle Pleistocene in central China. The results suggest that buried culture layer at the Hejialiang locality is correlated with the last interglacial paleosol S1 in Chinese Loess Plateau, it is dated at 86.3 ± 6.4 ka. The Yaochangwan locality spans from approximate 600–100 ka and correlates with S5–S1 in the typical Chinese loess–paleosol sequences, respectively. These ages suggest that hominins already occupied the Hanzhong Basin since approximately 600 ka ago.     

High resolution OSL and post-IR IRSL dating of the last interglacial–glacial cycle at the Sanbahuo loess site (northeastern China)

Northeastern China is located in the East Asian monsoon region; it is sensitive to both high and low latitude global climate systems. Loess deposits in the region have considerable potential as sensitive archives of past climate changes. However, research into loess deposition and climate change in this region is restricted by the lack of independent age control. In this study, coarse-grained quartz SAR OSL and K-feldspar post-IR infrared (IR) stimulated luminescence (post-IR IRSL; pIRIR₂₉₀) methods have been used to date the Sanbahuo loess site in northeastern China. The quartz OSL characteristics are satisfactory. The measured pIRIR₂₉₀ D_e's do not vary significantly with IR stimulation temperatures between 50 °C and 260 °C; a first IR stimulation temperature of 200 °C was adopted. Dose recovery tests were performed by adding different laboratory doses to both laboratory bleached (300 h SOL2) samples and natural samples; the results are satisfactory up to ∼800 Gy. Resulting quartz OSL and feldspar pIRIR₂₉₀ ages are in good agreement at least back to ∼44 ka; beyond this feldspar pIRIR₂₉₀ ages are older. The feldspar ages are consistent with the expected age of the S1 palaeosol (MIS 5). There appears to have been a period of fast loess deposition at ∼62 ka, perhaps indicative of winter monsoon intensification with a very cold and dry climate that lead to a serious desertification of dunefields in northeastern China.     

Dating the Kawakawa/Oruanui eruption: Comment on “Optical luminescence dating of a loess section containing a critical tephra marker horizon,SW North Island of New Zealand” by R. Grapes et al.

An IRSL age of 17.0 ± 2.2 ka (and a “mean age” of ca. 19 ka) reported by Grapes et al. [Grapes, R., Rieser, U., Wang, N. Optical luminescence dating of a loess section containing a critical tephra marker horizon, SW North Island of New Zealand. Quaternary Geochronology 5(2-3), 164–169.] for the Kawakawa/Oruanui tephra, and other ages associated with a loess section in New Zealand are untenable: age data presented are inconsistent, no formal statistical treatments or error determinations were undertaken in age analysis, and the ages proposed are seriously at odds with multiple radiocarbon age determinations on tephra sequences bracketing the Kawakawa/Oruanui tephra and with palaeoenvironmental evidence elsewhere for the time period concerned. We suggest that the bulk polymineral IRSL ages on the tephra and encapsulating loess deposits were underestimated in part because of contamination of the loess by the integration of younger materials during slow deposition and continuous modification by upbuilding pedogenesis. Single-grain luminescence assays may reveal such contamination. A ¹⁴C-based age of ca. 27 ± 1 ka cal BP (2σ), reported in 2008, currently remains the best estimate for the age of eruption of the Kawakawa/Oruanui tephra.     

A luminescence dating study of loess deposits from the Yili River basin in western China

The loess deposits surrounding the high mountainous regions of Central Asia play an important role in understanding environmental changes in Eurasia on orbital and sub-orbital timescales. However, problems with dating Central Asian loess have limited the interpretation of climatic and environmental data, especially on sub-orbital timescales. We selected a controversial loess section, Zeketai (ZKT, with a thickness of 23 m), in the Yili basin in Xinjiang Province in western China, to establish a detailed and systematic Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) chronology. Quartz grains of 38–63 μm were isolated from 15 samples and the single-aliquot regenerative-dose (SAR) protocol was employed for D_e determination. OSL ages are in stratigraphic order and range from 13.8 ± 1 to 72 ± 6 ka, suggesting continuous loess accumulation during the last glaciation. We compared these dating results with that of the previously published fine-grain sized quartz (4–11 μm) using simplified multiple aliquot regenerative-dose (SMAR) protocol, and with the previous published radiocarbon dating (¹⁴C) ages on snail shells. With the exception of three young samples from the upper 6 m of the section, the SMAR dating results are basically consistent with the results using the SAR protocol. Both the SMAR and SAR OSL ages are consistently older than the ¹⁴C ages, and the radiocarbon date results should be used with caution since they appear to have been underestimated.     

Luminescence chronology of aeolian deposits from the Qinghai Lake area in the Northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and its palaeoenvironmental implications

Qinghai Lake, on the northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, is the largest extant closed-basin lake in China, and has been the subject of numerous palaeoclimatological and palaeoenvironmental studies. In this study, 32 samples of aeolian sand, loess and palaeosol at six sites, and 1 sample of shoreline deposits underlying aeolian deposits were dated using optically stimulated luminescence (OSL). Where available, OSL ages are in agreement with previously published ¹⁴C ages. Our dating results, in combination with previous published ages on aeolian deposits showed that: (1) The oldest aeolian deposits around Qinghai Lake are in excess of 165 ka. (2) Aeolian deposition then began at ∼14 ka in the Qinghai Lake area. Periods of palaeosol formation occurred at ∼16.9 ka, ∼12.2–11 ka, ∼10–9 ka, ∼5.2–4 ka, and ∼3.9–0.7 ka. (3) The accumulation intervals of palaeosols are generally consistent with drilling-core-based environmental change proxies, indicating that palaeosols were formed during wet periods with higher vegetation cover. (4) A depositional hiatus period of ∼40–50 ka exists between the surface mantle aeolian deposits and underlying gravel deposits. (5) Lake levels during the Holocene did not exceed 3205.2 m elevation (11.8 m above recent lake level of April, 2010).     

A combined luminescence and radiocarbon dating study of the Ili loess,Central Asia

Similar to the loess in the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP), the loess deposits in the Ili basin of Central Asia arid area play an important role in understanding the climate and environmental changes. However, in contrast to the intensively investigated loess deposits in the CLP, the Ili loess is still insufficiently known and poorly understood. The geochronology study of the Ili loess remains controversial. In order to examine the potential of optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating for the Ili loess, we carry out a combined luminescence and radiocarbon dating study on a 6.9 m loess section in the south margin of the Ili basin. Polymineral fine grains were investigated by post infrared (IR) OSL using a Multiple-Aliquot Regenerative-dose (MAR) protocol. Radiocarbon dating of organic carbon were carried in a 3 Megavolt (MV) multi-element Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS). The results indicate that the OSL ages are in agreement with the observed stratigraphy in the field, which is well correlated with that of the CLP, but the AMS ¹⁴C ages are much younger than the OSL and assumed stratigraphical ages. Thus, the OSL dating technique may provide an absolute chronology in this loess section. Further methodological approaches and more samples analysis will lead to the improvement of this chronology for high-resolution paleoclimatic interpretation.     

Quartz OSL and K-feldspar pIRIR dating of a loess/paleosol sequence from arid central Asia,Tianshan Mountains,NW China

Loess deposits surrounding the high mountainous regions of arid central Asia (ACA) play an important role in understanding environmental changes in Eurasia on orbital and sub-orbital time scales. However, problems with dating loess in ACA have limited the interpretation of climatic and environmental data, especially Holocene data. We selected a typical loess/paleosol sequence (LJW10) on the northern slope of the Tianshan Mountains in ACA consisting of 280 cm of loess with multiple paleosols formed in the upper 170 cm of the section. We applied quartz OSL dating to coarse-grained (63–90 μm) fractions, and newly developed K-feldspar pIRIR dating protocols to both coarse-grained and medium-grained (38–63 μm) fractions of the samples from LJW10 section. Internal checks of the quartz OSL dating indicate that the single-aliquot regenerative-dose protocol on large aliquots (5 mm) is appropriate for equivalent dose (D_e) determinations and that the quartz ages of the loess samples are likely to be reliable. Luminescence characteristics and internal checks of the pIRIR dating indicate the pIRIR signal at a 170 °C stimulation temperature with a 200 °C preheat can be used for both coarse-grained and medium-grained D_e determinations. Anomalous fading tests for the pIRIR 170 °C signal indicate the pIRIR signals are stable and the anomalous fading of the pIRIR 170 °C signal can be ignored. Sunlight bleaching tests of the loess indicate the residual dose for the pIRIR 170 °C signal can also be ignored as it corresponds to only ∼9 years for the medium-grained K-feldspar and ∼85 years for the coarse-grained K-feldspar. The pIRIR ages of five medium-grained and coarse-grained K-feldspar samples are consistent with coarse-grained quartz OSL ages, and both the medium-grained and coarse-grained ages increase uniformly with depth, indicating these pIRIR ages are reliable. Based on the coarse-grained quartz OSL ages, and on coarse-grained and medium-grained K-feldspar pIRIR ages, an age-depth model for the paleosol-loess sequence was established by using a Bacon age-depth model. This model suggests eolian loess deposition began by at least ∼16 ka ago and that paleosol development on these eolian loess deposits began ∼5.5 ka, continuing to the present, with periods of high effective moisture at 5.5–4.9, 4.6–4.1, and 3.4–3.1 ka. This sequence suggests overall relative aridity during the early Holocene and an increase in effective moisture beginning ∼5.5 ka during the mid-late Holocene in ACA.     

Luminescence chronology of the upper part of the Stari Slankamen loess sequence (Vojvodina,Serbia)

A thick Middle and Late Pleistocene loess-palaeosol sequence is exposed at the Stari Slankamen section in the Vojvodina region situated in the south-eastern part of the Pannonian basin, Serbia. The profile exposes an about 45 m thick series of loess intercalated by at least eight pedocomplexes. Ten samples were dated by luminescence methods using a modified single aliquot regenerative dose (SAR) protocol for polymineral fine grains and for quartz extracts from the upper part of the Stari Slankamen loess sequence. The infrared stimulated luminescence (IRSL) and post-IR optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) signals from all polymineral samples showed anomalous fading, suggesting that the post-IR OSL signal is still dominated by feldspar OSL. The ages ranging from 4.6 to 193 ka were obtained after fading correction. These ages indicate that the loess unit V-L1L1, the weakly developed soil complex V-L1S1 and the loess unit V-L1L2 were deposited during marine isotope stage (MIS) 2, 3, and 4, respectively, and also indicate that the loess unit V-L2 is of the penultimate glacial age.     

Luminescence dating of sediments from a Palaeolithic site associated with a solution feature on the North Downs of Kent,UK

Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating has been applied to determine the burial age of sediment horizons within a sequence containing Lower Palaeolithic artefacts on an upland site associated with a solution feature (doline) at West Cliffe, located on the North Downs in Kent, UK. The study makes use of a novel extension of the single aliquot OSL measurement procedure to investigate the nature of significant overdispersion in equivalent dose values with very small aliquots of quartz inclusions, enabling single grain resolution to be approached with ∼90 μm diameter quartz extracted from the relatively fine-grained brickearth. A detailed examination of the uniformity of the distribution of radionuclide sources in the sampled volumes was also performed and this included the application of a spatially-resolved technique for beta dose rate measurement. The OSL ages, obtained for the burial of brickearth positioned stratigraphically below and above a clay and flint clast layer containing the artefacts and debitage, place the deposition of the artefacts to between ca 140 and 80 ka ago. This is significantly later than indicated by the artefact typology (>300 ka) and contrary to the expectation of in situ burial indicated by earlier research in this region. If displacement occurred on other upland sites this finding has important implications for establishing the timing of hominin use of the upland areas which, beyond broad attribution to Lower or Middle Palaeolithic origin, is uncertain and similar doubts apply to the interpretation of the environments that prevailed.     

Optical dating of a hyperconcentrated flow deposit on a Yellow River terrace in Hukou,Shaanxi, China

A sand layer, interpreted as a hyperconcentrated flow deposit, was found interbedded between loess on a Yellow River terrace in Hukou, Shaanxi, China. The site is known as the Longwangchan Palaeolithic site. The deposits from the terrace were dated using optically stimulated luminescence (OSL). Two samples from the sand layer were dated to 30 ± 2 and 33 ± 3 ka using coarse-grained (CG) quartz, and to 82 ± 7 and 94 ± 5 ka using fine-grained (FG) quartz, respectively. The CG quartz OSL ages are believed to be reliable on the basis of the OSL ages of the bracketing loess samples. The overestimation of the FG quartz OSL ages of the sand samples is explained in terms of hyperconcentrated flow processes during sediment transport and deposition. The large difference between the CG and FG quartz OSL ages of the sand samples helps to better understand the formation of the hyperconcentrated flow deposit. The hyperconcentrated flow deposit in this study indicates an extreme river flood occurring at ～30 ka in this area. In addition, the stone artifacts found in the lower loess layer overlying the bedrock of the terrace were dated to ～47 ka.     

Optical dating of aeolian and fluvial sediments in north Tian Shan range,China: Luminescence characteristics and methodological aspects

Loess and fluvial sand are important materials for dating river terraces and alluvial fans. This study focuses on the methodological aspects of dating loess and fluvial deposits from the northern flank of the Tian Shan range, China, using sand-sized quartz and potassium (K) feldspar. Luminescence characteristics of quartz and K-feldspar were studied for searching suitable dating procedures. Our results indicate that 1) most quartz aliquots were contaminated by feldspar, and were dated using a post-infrared optically stimulated luminescence (post-IR OSL) procedure. A Fast ratio acceptance threshold of 15 can be applied to select these aliquots with post-IR OSL signals dominated by quartz OSL; 2) the multi-elevated-temperature post-IR IR stimulated luminescence (MET-pIRIR) procedures are applicable for K-feldspar. A test dose of ∼30% of the natural dose is appropriate for dating of older (>10 ka) samples. An Age (T, t) plateau test can be used to evaluate the dating results; 3) for the loess samples, both quartz and K-feldspar were well bleached and are suitable for dating. Dating using K-feldspar is preferred for its higher efficiency; 4) for the fluvial sand samples, only the quartz grains were fully bleached. Single-aliquot dating of quartz gives reliable ages.     

Single-grain and multi-grain OSL dating of river terrace sediments in the Tabernas Basin,SE Spain

River terraces represent important records of landscape response to e.g. base-level change and tectonic movement. Both these driving forces are important in the southern Iberian Peninsula. In this study, Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) dating was used to date two principal river terraces in the Tabernas Basin, SE Spain. A total of 23 samples was collected from the fluvial terraces for dating using quartz OSL. Sixteen of the samples could not be dated because of low saturation levels (e.g. typical 2xD₀ < 50 Gy). The remaining seven samples (5 fossil and 2 modern analogues) were investigated using both multi-grain and single-grain analysis. Single grain results show that: (i) measurements from multi-grain aliquots overestimate ages by up to ∼ 4 ka for modern analogues and young samples (<5 ka), presumably because (ii) the presence of many saturated grains has biased the multi-grain results to older ages. Despite the unfavourable luminescence characteristics we are able to present the first numerical ages for two terrace aggradation stages in the Tabernas Basin, one at ∼16 ka and the other within the last 2 ka.     

Luminescence dating of ephemeral stream deposits around the Palaeolithic site of Ifri n'Ammar (Morocco)

The prehistoric site of Ifri n'Ammar is situated in northeastern Morocco, in the northern prolongation of the Middle Atlas Mountains. It is a key location in unravelling the history of anatomically modern humans (AMH) in northern Africa as it reveals Middle and Late Palaeolithic occupation phases since ∼170 ka. Whilst the archaeological sequence within the rock shelter has been well studied, the timing of landscape dynamics around Ifri n'Ammar is still poorly understood. This study therefore aims to establish a detailed chronology of the Wadi Selloum profile at the apron of the shelter, based on optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating of ephemeral stream deposits. Coarse-grain quartz was used for single-grain and multiple-grain dating procedures to investigate the luminescence properties of these deposits and to get more accurate age information concerning the phases of human occupation. Continuous wave OSL (CW-OSL) revealed a dominant fast component for all quartz samples. The dose distribution of the uppermost samples showed overdispersion values >25% and significant positive skewness. We identified partial bleaching as the main source of scatter in the equivalent dose (D_e) distribution. The lowermost sample appeared to be close to signal saturation. The shapes of the dose response curve varied widely between aliquots and coarse quartz grains exhibited therefore very different dose saturation behaviours among aliquots. With fully saturated dose response curves (DRCs), meaningful D₀ values were assumed for D_e estimation.The eight OSL samples yielded stratigraphically consistent ages ranging from 1.3 ± 0.2 ka to 76 ± 5 ka, thus reaching the Middle Palaeolithic period. Moreover, a pottery shard dated to 7.4 ± 0.6 ka (Early Neolithic period) by thermoluminescence (TL), perfectly matched the Holocene OSL samples extracted at the same depth of the profile. In summary, our results point to fluvial aggradation during OIS 5.1, the late glacial period, and the Holocene.     

Quartz luminescence dating of Anglian Stage (MIS 12) fluvial sediments: Comparison of SAR age estimates to the terrace chronology of the Middle Thames valley,UK

Quartz optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) is increasingly being used to constrain the depositional age of fluvial and glaciofluvial sequences over orbital (Milankovitch) timescales within the British Isles. Few of these previous studies have had any age control; however there is some evidence that OSL ages based on the single aliquot regenerative dose (SAR) protocol may be subject to systematic age underestimation as samples approach saturation. In this study, the age of 12 luminescence samples from a chronologically well-constrained site dating to 450 ka from the Thames terrace sequence, southern Britain, was measured using SAR in order to test the performance of the method close to its upper age limit. The characteristics, dose response and thermal stability of the OSL signal in these samples were assessed by investigating equivalent dose (D_e) as a function of stimulation time and component-resolved pulse annealing. Despite the fact that the samples are dominated by the quartz fast component, these results showed that both the medium and slow components have lower stabilities than the fast component, but with the unstable medium component most affecting the initial part of the OSL signal used in dating. Based on isolating the fast component either through curve fitting or eliminating the medium component using the early background subtraction method, OSL ages up to 450 Gy were found to compare well with the expected age of the site of 450 ± 23 ka. In contrast, a systematic age underestimation of 10% was manifested at lower doses when using the initial part of the OSL signal, contaminated by the medium component. These results suggest that the early background subtraction method should be used when dating in the non-linear part of the growth curve as it provides a better separation of thermally unstable signals and represents a more convenient approach than curve fitting in well-behaved samples.     

An optical age chronology of late Quaternary extreme fluvial events recorded in Ugandan dambo soils

There is little geochonological data on sedimentation in dambos (seasonally saturated, channel-less valley floors) found throughout Central and Southern Africa. Radiocarbon dating is problematic for dambos due to (i) oxidation of organic materials during dry seasons; and (ii) the potential for contemporary biological contamination of near-surface sediments. However, for luminescence dating the equatorial site and semi-arid climate facilitate grain bleaching, while the gentle terrain ensures shallow water columns, low turbidity, and relatively long surface exposures for transported grains prior to deposition and burial. For this study, we focused on dating sandy strata (indicative of high-energy fluvial events) at various positions and depths within a second-order dambo in central Uganda. Blue-light quartz optically stimulated luminescences (OSL) ages were compared with infrared stimulated luminescence (IRSL) and thermoluminescence (TL) ages from finer grains in the same sample. A total of 8 samples were dated, with 6 intervals obtained at 35, 33, 16, 10.4, 8.4, and 5.9 ka. In general, luminescence ages were stratigraphically, geomorphically and ordinally consistent and most blue-light OSL ages could be correlated with well-dated climatic events registered either in Greenland ice cores or Lake Victoria sediments. Based upon OSL age correlations, we theorize that extreme fluvial dambo events occur primarily during relatively wet periods, often preceding humid-to-arid transitions. The optical ages reported in this study provide the first detailed chronology of dambo sedimentation, and we anticipate that further dambo work could provide a wealth of information on the paleohydrology of Central and Southern Africa.     

Luminescence dating of a megaflood event on a terrace of the Jinsha River,China

The numerical dating of megaflood sediments is a worldwide challenge, a fact that has impeded a full understanding of Late Quaternary dam-outburst flood processes that occurred along the river courses of the Tibetan Plateau. Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating has been widely used on such sediments. Due to their short transportation distances prior to deposition, the OSL signals of megaflood sediments are often partially bleached, resulting in age overestimations. Here, we report on a comparison of OSL ages obtained using both quartz (4–11 μm FG; 90–125, 180–250 μm CG) and K-feldspar (180–250 μm CG) extracted from sediments taken from the Binghong-Bingnong Neolithic-Bronze Age site on the second Jinshan River terrace (T2), in Yunnan Province, southwestern China. Contrary to previous experience suggesting that CG fractions are usually better bleached than FG fractions prior to deposition, our results showed that the OSL ages for the FG quartz fraction were generally younger than those for the CG fraction. This would suggest that the two fractions may have come from different sources, and may have been subject to different geomorphological processes prior to deposition. FG quartz fractions may be suitable to define the maximum age of sediments located in alpine gorge regions. CG quartz fractions can be used by applying the minimum age model (MAM) to select relatively well-bleached grains yielded ages close to the ‘true’ burial ages of the sediments. The results showed that the post-IR IRSL₂₂₅ ages of single grain K-feldspar were overestimated by > 3 ka, suggesting K-feldspar may not be suitable dating material for megaflood sediments <30 ka. The OSL dates suggest that the T2 terrace was formed ∼8.4 ka, that aeolian sediments were deposited during ∼2.6–1.5 ka, and that the megaflood event occurred after ∼1.5 ka.