OSL dating of a Holocene loess-paleosol sequence in the southern Loess Plateau,China

Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating of polymineral fine-grained loess samples collected from the southern Loess Plateau of China was conducted using the single-aliquot regenerative-dose (SAR) protocol. A ‘Double-SAR’ procedure in which aliquots are subjected to both infrared (IR) and blue stimulations was used, and two sets of equivalent dose (D _e ) determinations were produced. These doses are assumed to be predominantly related to the feldspathic and quartz fine grain populations, respectively. The results revealed that the OSL ages estimated by infrared stimulated luminescence (IRSL) signals and those estimated by [post-IR] stimulated luminescence ([post-IR] OSL) signals disagreed. Specifically, the ages estimated using the IRSL signals were smaller than those estimated using [post-IR] OSL signals. The results of an anomalous fading test of the two types of OSL signals revealed that the [post-IR] OSL signals from the etched sub-sample (by H₂SiF₆ and HF) and the un-etched sub-sample did not fade significantly. However, the IRSL signals from the un-etched sub-sample showed obvious signs of fading. These findings indicate that the lower age estimated by IRSL is due to the anomalous fading of feldspar IR signals in the polymineral fine grains. For samples collected from greater than 100 cm, the estimates of their OSL ages using two types of luminescence signals generally agreed with their pre-estimated ages, especially those of the [post-IR] OSL signals. However, for the three samples that were collected from a depth of less than 100 cm, their OSL ages were remarkably underestimated, possibly due to the enhanced human activity (such as soil cultivation) that has occurred in the region since 3000 a B.P.     

北美五大湖区晚更新世劳伦泰德冰盖演化年代学综述及石英光释光测年的初步尝试

北美五大湖区的安大略湖北岸Don Valley Brickyard、Scarborough Bluffs、Bowmanville Bluffs剖面共同构成了北美东北部最长也是最厚的陆地第四纪沉积记录, 较完整地记录了晚更新世劳伦泰德冰盖(the Laurentide Ice Sheet)的演化. 晚更新世劳伦泰德冰盖演化的重建有赖于这些经典剖面中重要沉积地层单元的准确年代学控制. 传统的地层年代学主要是依靠少量¹⁴C年代, 将主要的混杂堆积单元(diamicton)解释为气候变冷环境下的冰川扩张, 并与指示全球冰量变化的深海氧同位素曲线一一比对建立起来的. 这样建立起来的年代学存在很大的不确定性. 20世纪80-90年代的少量热释光年代也不相吻合, 最近的13个长石红外释光定年则只集中于Bowmanville Bluffs的一个分层, 并未建立整个剖面的地层年代学, 使这些经典沉积剖面的年代学一直没有得到系统的建立. 应用石英光释光SAR-SGC法测试了Bowmanville Bluffs剖面Glaciofluvial Sand单元的2个冰水沉积样品, 年代结果分别为(41.6±3.8) ka、(48.1±4.4) ka, 分析表明这一年代结果偏老, 石英颗粒可能晒褪不完全. 由于大测片无法识别晒褪不完全的颗粒, 因此, 测试更多的剖面序列的光释光年代并尝试采用粗颗粒小测片或单颗粒技术解决样品颗粒晒褪不完全的问题将是必要的.     

Chronologies of sedimentary changes in the south Bohai Sea,China: constraints from luminescence and radiocarbon dating

The alternation of terrestrial and marine deposits is an indicator of past environmental and sea‐level changes. The age of deposition is usually dated by means of radiocarbon. However, radiocarbon dates of molluscan shells from coastal areas may be complicated by various sources of carbon, and problematic for deposits of 40–50 ka or older. Herein, we apply the Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) dating method to date samples from terrestrial and marine/coastal sediments extracted from three cores in the south Bohai Sea, China. Multiple‐ and single‐aliquot regenerative‐dose procedures using OSL signals from fine‐silt (4–11 μm), coarse‐silt (38–63 μm) and fine‐sand (63–90 or 90–125 μm) quartz were employed to determine the equivalent dose (D _e). The results showed that: (i) OSL ages from quartz of different grain sizes and different protocols are consistent with each other; (ii) for Holocene samples, most of the radiocarbon dates agree well with OSL ages; (iii) for pre‐Holocene samples, radiocarbon dates cluster at 40–50 ¹⁴ C ka BP, whereas OSL ages are in stratigraphic order from 11 ka to 176 ka. Because of the self‐consistency of the quartz OSL ages, the stratigraphic agreement in the three cores, and the clustering of the radiocarbon dates, we suggest that the quartz OSL ages are more reliable with respect to dating the samples from the south Bohai Sea. Finally, the four marine strata identified in the south Bohai Sea are likely to have formed during the Holocene, Marine Isotopic Stage (MIS) 3–5, MIS 6 and probably MIS 7, respectively.     

冰川沉积释光测年： 采样策略与测试选择

释光测年是可对冰川地貌进行直接定年的一种测年技术,已被广泛应用于冰川沉积测年中,推动了第四纪冰川研究的深入发展。但冰川沉积释光测年还没有达到标准化的程度,实际应用中仍有不少问题需要探究,其中最受关注的是冰川沉积物释光信号晒退不完全的问题,即样品在埋藏前因曝光机会有限导致信号没有归零或仅部分归零。冰川沉积释光信号晒退程度与地貌部位和沉积环境密切相关。冰川沉积释光采样需注意几个方面：（1）详细的地貌学和沉积学调查及对采样点的选择;（2）较适合释光测年的冰水沉积和冰缘风成沉积采集及其与冰川作用期次的联系;（3）冰碛夹层中的冰水砂透镜体的选取;（4）冰碛垄采样时垂直与水平方向上的考量;（5）岩石释光测年的发展使砾石成为当前第四纪冰川释光测年采样的一种选择。室内进行释光等效剂量测试时,也有几个关键的选择：（1）粗颗粒石英光释光测年是末次冰期以来冰川作用的首选方法;（2）如果样品年代老于石英测年上限,或者石英不适合测试,则可考虑钾长石后红外高温释光测年方法;（3）单颗粒、小测片和岩石释光埋藏测年技术可以鉴别样品的晒退情况,是目前最适合冰川沉积释光测年的几种选择;（4）如有条件,尝试用不同矿物、不同粒径、不同方法进行测试对比和交叉检验。要获得第四纪冰川释光测年的最佳年代学结果,地貌学、沉积学和年代学的结合是非常必要的。     

旧石器遗址强烈化学风化沉积物细粒混合矿物的光释光信号特征及其测年应用

从湖南省北部赤山岛枫树嘴旧石器遗址剖面第2、第3和第4考古层位采集的3个沉积物样品中提取的细粒混合矿物,尝试对其红外释光(IRSL)信号进行研究。实验表明,虽然长石IRSL信号很弱,但仍可以测得信噪比足够高的红外激发后高温红外激发释光(post-IR IRSL)信号。与此同时,样品存在明显的红外激发后蓝光释光(post-IR OSL)信号,并且样品的IRSL与post-IR OSL信号均以快组分为主,这为该地区沉积物利用长石光释光信号定年提供了新的可能。鉴于长石IRSL信号较弱,根据剂量恢复实验结果,本研究采用post-IR IRSL SAR法(50℃红外激发后270℃高温红外激发,pIRIR270℃)进行等效剂量测量,同时也应用post-IR OSL SAR法定年进行比较。实验结果表明,细粒混合矿物的pIRIR270℃等效剂量分别为418.8±13.2 Gy、562.3±18.2 Gy和694.8±17.9 Gy,相对应的post-IR OSL SAR等效剂量结果为345.0±29.4 Gy、409.6±33.7 Gy和424.7±32.2 Gy。假设强烈化学风化未对沉积物的剂量率造成很大影响,基于长石pIRIR270℃信号的释光年龄为89±6 ka、118±8 ka和152±9 ka,比前人所得的石英OSL SAR法年龄老30%~55%(约20~55 ka)。通过对比不同测量条件下获得的等效剂量值来评估长石IRSL信号是否存在晒退问题,没有发现长石post-IR IRSL信号存在晒退不完全的证据。根据本研究post-IR IRSL SAR法测年结果,赤山岛枫树嘴旧石器遗址似阿舍利技术类型的石器出现在倒数第二次冰期(MIS 6)后期至末次间冰期(MIS 5)前期,比湖南道县福岩洞现代人类牙齿化石年龄(80~120 ka)稍老。作为似阿舍利技术石器制造者的赤山岛古人与福岩洞现代人的关系将是我国旧石器时代考古学和古人类学研究的一个重要课题。     

The luminescence dating chronology of a deep core from Bosten Lake (NW China) in arid central Asia reveals lake evolution over the last 220 ka

The lacustrine deposits of lakes in arid central Asia (ACA) potentially record palaeoclimatic changes on orbital and suborbital time scales, but such changes are still poorly understood due to the lack of reliable chronologies. Bosten Lake, the largest freshwater inland lake in China, is located in the southern Tianshan Mountains in central ACA. A 51.6‐m‐deep lacustrine succession was retrieved from the lake and 30 samples from the succession were used for luminescence dating to establish a chronology based on multi‐grain quartz OSL and K‐feldspar post‐IR IRSL (pIRIR₂₉₀) dating. Quartz OSL ages were only used for samples from the upper part of the core. The K‐feldspar luminescence characteristics (dose recovery test, anomalous fading test, first IR stimulation temperature plateau test) are satisfactory and from the relationship amongst the quartz OSL, IR₅₀ and pIRIR₂₉₀ doses we infer that the feldspar signals are likely to be well bleached at deposition. Bacon age‐depth modelling was used to derive a chronology spanning the last c. 220 ka. The chronology, lithology and grain‐size proxy record indicate that Bosten Lake formed at least c. 220 ka ago and that lake levels fluctuated frequently thereafter. A stable deep lake occurred at c. 220, 210–180, c. 165, 70–60, 40–30 and 20–5 ka, while shallow levels occurred at c. 215, 180–165, 100–70, 60–40 and 30–20 ka. Bosten Lake levels decreased by at least ~29 m and possibly the lake even dried up between c. 160 and c. 100 ka. We suggest that the water‐level fluctuations in the lakes of ACA may not respond directly to climatic changes and may be affected by a number of complex factors.     

Comparison of SAR techniques for luminescence dating of sediments derived from volcanic tuff

In this investigation we evaluate several proposed optically stimulated luminescence single-aliquot regeneration (OSL SAR) procedures to determine which technique has the greatest potential to yield accurate ages for samples collected from tuff-derived alluvial sediments within the narrow, sharply incised canyon systems of the Pajarito Plateau of northern New Mexico. The SAR data collection methods evaluated are: infrared-stimulated luminescence (IRSL), post-IR blue-OSL, IRSL with TL annealing cycles on polymineral fine-grains, and blue-OSL on quartz fine sand. A single-grain laser luminescence (SGLL) procedure for quartz sand is also evaluated. Age estimates obtained from these methods are compared with radiocarbon, soil PDI (profile development index), and IRSL multi-aliquot additive dose (MAAD) age constraints. Our results indicate that the modal D_e of quartz sand SGLL dose distributions yield ages that are consistent with radiocarbon and PDI age constraints for the tuff derived sediments in this investigation and appears to be the most promising method for studies in this area. Additionally, two fine-grained polymineral methods, IRSL SAR and traditional IRSL MAAD, produced ages that were generally in agreement with the SGLL ages and with available ¹⁴C and PDI age constraints. At the present stage of research, we advocate using quartz sand SGLL in conjunction with IRSL SAR or even IRSL MAAD for polymineral fine-grains to provide the most robust and reliable luminescence age data sets for tuff-derived sediments.     

Luminescence chronology of non‐glacial sediments in Changeable Lake,Russian High Arctic,and implications for limited Eurasian ice‐sheet extent during the LGM

A 10.5 m core from Changeable Lake in the Severnaya Zemlya Archipelago just north of the Taymyr Peninsula intersects ca. 30 cm of diamicton at its base, interpreted as a basal till. Because the upper 10.13 m of this core consists of non‐glacial sediments, a maximum numeric age for these non‐glacial sediments would provide a clear lower limit to the timing of the last glaciation in the area of Changeable Lake. Radiocarbon (¹⁴C) dating of several materials from this core yielded widely scattered results. Consequently we applied photonic dating to sediments above the diamicton. The experimental single‐aliquot‐regenerative (SAR) dose fine‐grain method was applied to two samples, using the ‘double SAR’ approach. With one exception, these fine‐grain SAR results and the results of application of the SAR method to sand‐sized quartz grains from two samples, at ca. 9.95 m and ca. 10.05 m depth, are discrepant with age estimates from the multi‐aliquot infrared‐photon‐stimulated luminescence (IR‐PSL) method applied to fine grains. Multi‐aliquot IR‐PSL dating of 10 samples produces ages increasing monotonically from ca. 4 ka at 2 m to 53 ± 4 ka at 9.97 m. These self‐consistent multi‐aliquot IR‐PSL ages, along with limiting ¹⁴C ages of >47 ka at ca. 10 m, provide direct evidence that glacial ice did not advance over this lake basin during the Last Glacial Maximum, and thus delimit the northeastern margin of the Barents–Kara Sea ice‐sheet to somewhere west of this archipelago. The last regional glaciation probably occurred during marine isotope stage (MIS) 4 or earlier. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Luminescence dating of Middle Pleistocene proglacial deposits from northern Switzerland: methodological aspects and stratigraphical conclusions

Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating was applied to proglacial deposits from the Klettgau Valley in northern Switzerland, which is understood to record several phases of glaciation prior to the Last Interglacial. The aim was to provide an independent chronology for the different sedimentary units to understand better the complex depositional history of the region. This time range requires care when assessing the reliability of the luminescence protocols applied. Equivalent doses for fine‐ and coarse‐grain quartz remained below 300 Gy, while dose response curves for both fractions continued to display growth above 500 Gy. Dose recovery tests confirmed the ability of the single aliquot regenerative (SAR) protocol to recover laboratory doses of a similar size to burial doses, and isothermal decay measurements confirmed the stability of the quartz signal. Having passed rigorous testing criteria, quartz OSL ages of up to ～200 ka were considered reliable but significantly underestimated expected ages and prompt a reconsideration of earlier interpretations of the stratigraphy for this site. Rather than representing three separate glaciations, quartz luminescence ages instead suggest that these deposits record up to four independent ice advances during Marine Isotope Stage 6. For both single grain and single aliquot feldspar dating, it was not possible to separate the conflicting influences of anomalous fading and partial bleaching. However, uncorrected feldspar central age model ages were found to be in reasonable agreement with quartz age estimates, and suggest that feldspar ages may still offer useful additional information in this region.     

博斯腾湖湖泊沉积物光释光年代测量*

使用光释光年代学的单片再生法测量了博斯腾湖沉积剖面中碳酸盐泥及粉砂质泥底部的浅湖相灰色粉细砂和风成沙的年龄,对剖面上部碳酸盐层中陆生植物残体进行了AMS ¹⁴ C测年。通过不同测片的等效剂量(D_e)值的分布状况评价了样品的晒褪程度,选择不随灵敏度校正后的自然释光信号变化的相对集中的等效剂量(D_e)值计算了样品的埋藏年龄。通过这些年龄结果的对比,发现石英矿物的OSL年龄和AMS ¹⁴ C年龄在地层上是一致的,表明尽管在浅湖相细砂中存在不完全晒褪,但根据相对较小而集中的D_e值计算得到的年龄结果是可靠的。这些年龄结果和地层资料揭示末次冰消期以来至早全新世,博斯腾湖处于无水干盆地向深水湖泊转化的浅水湖泊状态,现代深水博斯腾湖大约形成于距今8ka前后。     

Dust deposition and climate in the Carpathian Basin over an independently dated last glacial–interglacial cycle

Loess in the Carpathian Basin is some of the thickest and most complete in Europe. Located in the Vojvodina region of the southern Carpathian Basin the Crvenka loess-palaeosol section appears to preserve a detailed climate proxy archive of the last glacial–interglacial cycle. Central to the interpretation of the site is a detailed and independent age model. Here, the results of detailed optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating and elevated temperature post-IR infrared stimulated luminescence (post-IR IRSL) dating are presented. Quartz OSL ages appear accurate to about 50–60 ka, where 2D₀ values are reached, while elevated temperature post-IR IRSL yields more accurate ages below this. In line with recent results, the latter signal appears to show negligible fading rates. Two age models are developed that combine (a) OSL and post-IR IRSL ages and (b) OSL ages and ‘expected’ ages from tying unit boundaries to the marine record. If the luminescence model is regarded as accurate, differences between this and the OSL/marine age model raise questions over the accuracy of the latter, as well as the processes controlling the zeroing of luminescence dates. The luminescence based age model is then used to derive the first fully independent reconstruction of climate proxies and accumulation rates from Carpathian loess. Such reconstructions can be used to compare to other independent records without assumptions inherent in correlation-based approaches. The findings demonstrate how variable accumulation rate is at the site, and compared to other independently dated Carpathian loess records. Average values vary north–south but are of similar order throughout the basin. Accumulation rate was highest during the later part of the last glacial, but variation on millennial timescales does not always match shifts in grain-size, suggesting diverse and complex influences. Environmental reconstructions using grain-size and magnetic susceptibility show that no one atmospheric system or air mass can explain the changes in the Carpathian Basin and that millennial-scale variability can only intermittently be tied to North Atlantic Heinrich events. Expanded ice sheets during the peak last glacial, combined with other atmospheric teleconnections, may have served to develop a strong anticyclone in the region. It was likely windier during earlier parts of the last glacial, but Atlantic and Mediterranean moisture was probably less abundant than during more humid interglacials.     

The loess sequence of Dolní Věstonice,Czech Republic: A new OSL‐based chronology of the Last Climatic Cycle

The Dolní Věstonice loess section in the Czech Republic is well known for its high‐resolution loess–palaeosol sequence of the last interglacial–glacial climatic cycle (Upper Pleistocene). The loess section is situated in a climatic transition zone between oceanic and continental climates and is therefore of great value in reconstructing past regional climate conditions and their interaction with climate systems, in particular that of the North Atlantic. Based on a combination of optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) ages, stratigraphic field observations and magnetic susceptibility measurements, a chrono‐climatic interpretation of the Dolní Věstonice loess section is presented. To establish a reliable Upper Pleistocene chronology, a quartz OSL approach was applied for equivalent dose (D_e) determination. Monomineralic quartz extracts of three distinct grain sizes, fine (4–11 μm), middle (38–63 μm) and coarse (90–200 μm), were used and compared. Within error limits, the calculated OSL ages are the same for the different grain sizes, and the OSL ages are in stratigraphic order. The established OSL chronology is in agreement with a Weichselian litho‐ and pedostratigraphy. The Dolní Věstonice loess section is characterized by four pedosedimentary subsequences. At the base of the profile, subsequence I is characterized by a distinct Early Glacial soil complex, OSL‐dated to c. 110 to 70 ka, representing one of the most complete records of environmental change in the European loess belt. Subsequence II is allocated to the Lower Pleniglacial and is characterized by laminated sandy loess. Middle Pleniglacial subsequence III is represented by a brown soil complex, and is followed by the uppermost subsequence IV, characterized by a thick body of laminated sandy loess, indicating strong wind activity and a high sedimentation rate of more than ～1 mm a^?1 during the Upper Pleniglacial. According to the OSL chronology, as well as to the sedimentological and palaeopedological investigations, it is likely that the sequence at Dolní Věstonice has recorded most of the climatic events expressed in the NGRIP δ¹⁸O reference record between 110 and 70 ka.     

Optical dating of young coastal dunes on a decadal time scale

We explore the use of quartz optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating for reconstructing coastal evolution on a time scale of decades to a few hundred years. Samples are taken from the accretionary south-west coast of Texel, a barrier island just offshore of the northern Netherlands. The ages of dune ridges are known from historical sources; an excellent chronology with a decadal accuracy exists for the past 260 years. OSL ages of less than 10 years on the youngest samples indicate that the OSL signal of the quartz grains is very well zeroed prior to deposition and burial. OSL ages of five samples from a 250-year-old dune ridge are indistinguishable, and the OSL ages on 17 out of 20 samples are in excellent agreement with the well-known independent age controls. Our results highlight the potential of OSL dating for high-resolution reconstruction of coastal evolution over the past few centuries.     

Stability of fine‐grained TT‐OSL and post‐IR IRSL signals from a c. 1 Ma sequence of aeolian and lacustrine deposits from the Nihewan Basin (northern China)

We tested the suitability of the fine‐grained quartz (4–11 μm) Optical Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) and thermally‐transferred OSL (TT‐OSL), and the fine‐grained polymineral (4–11 μm) post‐infrared IRSL (post‐IR IRSL or pIRIR) signals for dating samples from aeolian‐lacustrine deposits from the Xiaochangliang archaeological profile in the Nihewan Basin, China; these deposits include material from the Jaramillo subchron (c. 1.0 Ma). In the upper aeolian section, the OSL and pIRIR₂₉₀ ages are consistent with each other, and show that the upper 8.8 m was deposited between c. 0.3 and c. 140 ka. The luminescence ages indicate a major discontinuity in deposition between the aeolian and the older lacustrine deposits. Below this hiatus at 9.4 m (i.e. in the lacustrine sediments) all three signals are found to be in field saturation (no further systematic increase in burial dose with depth) despite the TT‐OSL signal (apparent mean burial dose ~880 Gy) being well below saturation on the laboratory growth curve. This is in contrast to the pIRIR₂₉₀ signal, which saturates in the field at a level consistent with laboratory saturation. This results in a practical upper limit to the measured burial dose of ~900 Gy (2D₀). Thus for the TT‐OSL and pIRIR₂₉₀ signals, the upper limits for dating lacustrine deposits are <260 ka and c. 240 ka, respectively. These results have major implications for the appropriate future application of these signals. The ages of our lacustrine samples cannot be regarded as necessarily accurate ones; nevertheless, these ages provide the first long series absolute chronology for study of local palaeolithic and geomorphic evolution history aside from the magnetostratigraphical results available before this research.     

Dating recent floodplain sediments in the Hawkesbury‐Nepean River system,eastern Australia using single‐grain quartz OSL

Two fluvial sediment cores taken from a floodplain of the Hawkesbury‐Nepean River system in the Sydney region, eastern Australia are dated using Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) to provide a reliable chronology essential for the management and planning of water resources. Nine charcoal ¹⁴C (AMS) dates constrain these OSL ages. Quartz extracted from seven OSL samples from each of the cores was measured using both single‐grain and multi‐grain OSL techniques. Three of the single‐grain natural dose distributions appear to be well bleached, but the others appear to be incompletely bleached to various degrees. Three minimum‐age models (MAM, MAM_UL and IEU) are applied to the single‐grain dose distributions. We conclude that these models give consistent age estimates. For one of the cores it appears to be necessary to use a minimum‐age model to obtain accurate ages, but in the other core incomplete bleaching is probably less important than postdepositional mixing and mixing during sampling. As a result, the burial age is probably best estimated using the weighted average of the individual single‐grain dose estimates. The application of multi‐grain OSL techniques to these samples results in an average apparent age overestimation of ～200 years, which is significant for these samples, but negligible for sediments older than a few thousand years. The intention is that the chronology obtained in this study will be used in conjunction with a proxy flood record, derived from floodplain sediments, to gain an understanding of the long‐term variability in periods of high and low rainfall in eastern Australia.     

A robust feldspar luminescence dating method for Middle and Late Pleistocene sediments

Luminescence dating is used extensively to provide absolute chronologies for Late Pleistocene sediments. Nowadays, most optical dates are based on quartz optically stimulated luminescence (OSL). However, the application of this signal is usually limited to the last ～100 ka because of saturation of the quartz luminescence signal with dose. In contrast, the feldspar infrared stimulated luminescence (IRSL) dose–response curve grows to much higher doses; this has the potential to extend the datable age range by a factor of 4–5 compared with quartz OSL. However, it has been known for several decades that this IRSL signal is unstable, and this instability often gives rise to significant age underestimation. Here we test against independent age control the recently developed feldspar post‐IR IRSL approach to the dating of sediments, which appears to avoid signal instability. A physical model explaining our observations is discussed, and the method is shown to be accurate back to 600 ka. The post‐IR IRSL signal is reduced by exposure to daylight more slowly than that from quartz and low‐temperature IRSL, preventing its general application to young (e.g. Holocene) sediments. Nevertheless, this new approach is widely applicable (feldspar of appropriate luminescence behaviour is even more ubiquitous than quartz). These characteristics make this a method of great importance for the dating of Middle and Late Pleistocene deposits.     

Timing of fluvial sedimentation in the Upper Rhine Graben since the Middle Pleistocene: constraints from quartz and feldspar luminescence dating

The Heidelberg Basin (HDB) hosts one of the thickest Quaternary sediment successions in central Europe. To establish a reliable Middle and Upper Pleistocene chronology for a recently drilled core from the depocentre of the Heidelberg Basin, we applied multiple luminescence dating approaches, including quartz optically stimulated luminescence (OSL), two feldspar post‐IR IRSL protocols using second IR stimulation temperatures of 225 °C (pIRIR₂₂₅) and 290 °C (pIRIR₂₉₀), and two fading correction models. Relatively high anomalous fading was observed for both the pIRIR₂₂₅ and pIRIR₂₉₀ signals, with mean fading rates of 2.13±0.27 and 2.08±0.49%/decade, respectively. Poor dose recovery behaviour of the pIRIR₂₉₀ signal suggests that the pIRIR₂₉₀ ages are not reliable. The comparison of two fading correction methods for the K‐feldspar ages indicates that the correction method proposed by Kars et al. (2008) Radiation Measurements 43, 786, yields reliable ages, whereas the dose‐rate correction method proposed by Lamothe et al. (2003) Radiation Measurements 37, 493, does not. A chronology for the HDB is established using the quartz ages and reliable fading corrected feldspar pIRIR₂₂₅ ages. Our chronology shows that the sediments in the upper Mannheim Formation were deposited during Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 4 (c. 70 ka), constrained by two quartz ages in the upper 20 m of the core. Four fading corrected pIRIR₂₂₅ ages of c. 400 ka show that the upper Ludwigshafen Formation was deposited during MIS 12–11, correlated with the Elsterian‐Holsteinian stage. Two ages of 491±76 and 487±79 ka indicate that the Middle and Upper Ludwigshafen Formation were probably deposited during the Cromerian Complex. This luminescence chronology is consistent with palynological results. It also indicates that the IR‐RF ages reported earlier are probably underestimated due to anomalous fading.     

Re‐dating the Pilgrimstad Interstadial with OSL: a warmer climate and a smaller ice sheet during the Swedish Middle Weichselian (MIS 3)?

Alexanderson, H., Johnsen, T. & Murray, A. S. 2009: Re‐dating the Pilgrimstad Interstadial with OSL: a warmer climate and a smaller ice sheet during the Swedish Middle Weichselian (MIS 3)? Boreas, 10.1111/j.1502‐3885.2009.00130.x. ISSN 0300‐9483. Pilgrimstad in central Sweden is an important locality for reconstructing environmental changes during the last glacial period (the Weichselian). Its central location has implications for the Scandinavian Ice Sheet as a whole. The site has been assigned an Early Weichselian age (marine isotope stage (MIS) 5 a/c; >74 ka), based on pollen stratigraphic correlations with type sections in continental Europe, but the few absolute dating attempts so far have given uncertain results. We re‐excavated the site and collected 10 samples for optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating from mineral‐ and organic‐rich sediments within the new Pilgrimstad section. Single aliquots of quartz were analysed using a post‐IR blue single aliquot regenerative‐dose (SAR) protocol. Dose recovery tests were satisfactory and OSL ages are internally consistent. All, except one from an underlying unit that is older, lie in the range 52–36 ka, which places the interstadial sediments in the Middle Weichselian (MIS 3); this is compatible with existing radiocarbon ages, including two measured with accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). The mean of the OSL ages is 44±6 ka (n=9). The OSL ages cannot be assigned to the Early Weichselian for all reasonable adjustments to water content estimates and other parameters. The new ages suggest that climate was relatively mild and that the Scandinavian Ice Sheet was absent or restricted to the mountains for at least parts of MIS 3. These results are supported by other recent studies completed in Fennoscandia.     

Advances and Issues in Luminescence Dating of Loess Deposits in Arid Central Asia

High-resolution loess deposits are widely distributed in Arid Central Asia (ACA) and provide important records associated with dust transportation, paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic evolution. The chronology is the foundation of the research into loess deposits as an environmental archive. In recent decades, the gradually developed optical dating method has been increasingly matured and become an important approach to establishing the loess-paleosol sequences. Here, we summarized and discussed previous work on loess chronology mainly based on optical dating approach in ACA. The following understandings have been listed: ① In comparison with optical dating method, the suitable material for ¹⁴C dating is uncommon in ACA. However, the dating range of luminescence dating is more extensive, and the dating materials are accessible. Thus, the optical dating is widely applicable in the establishment of loess framework in this area. ② Until now, the quartz Single Aliquot Regeneration (SAR) method can be applied to the establishment of loess-paleosol sequence since last glacial period. But several issues remain unaddressed. For example, the Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) signal sensitivity of quartz grains are low in some areas. Furthermore, the results of OSL dating of different grain sizes within a single sample are inconsistent in some areas. The solution of these problems still requires more methodological research. ③ The post-IR IRSL (pIRIR) and multiple elevated temperature stimulation (MET-pIRIR) protoCols of feldspar have basically overcome the anomalous fading issue in the traditional IRSL dating process. In ACA, the framework since MIS 7 can be established with K-feldspar luminescence dating method. Compared with quartz luminescence characteristics, the K-feldspar luminescence signals are more sensitive and exhibit a high saturation level. In specific applications, it is necessary to establish the age frame according to the luminescence sensitivity, the age of samples or other factors.     

Testing polymineral post-IR IRSL and quartz SAR-OSL protocols on Middle to Late Pleistocene loess at Batajnica,Serbia

The loess–palaeosol sequence of Batajnica (Vojvodina region, Serbia) is considered as one of the most complete and thickest terrestrial palaeoclimate archives for the Middle and Late Pleistocene. In order to achieve a numerical chronology for this profile, four sets of ages were obtained on 18 individual samples. Equivalent doses were determined using the SAR protocol on fine (4–11 μm) and coarse (63–90 μm) quartz fractions, as well as on polymineral fine grains by using two elevated temperature infrared stimulation methods, pIRIR₂₉₀ and pIRIR₂₂₅. We show that the upper age limit of coarse quartz OSL and polymineral pIRIR₂₉₀ and pIRIR₂₂₅ techniques is restricted to the Last Glacial/Interglacial cycle due to the field saturation of the natural signals. Luminescence ages on coarse quartz, pIRIR₂₂₅ and pIRIR₂₉₀ polymineral fine grains are in general agreement. Fine quartz ages are systematically lower than the coarse quartz and pIRIR ages, the degree of underestimation increasing with age. Comparison between natural and laboratory dose response curves indicate the age range over which each protocol provides reliable ages. For fine and coarse quartz, the natural and laboratory dose response curves overlap up to ~150 and ~250 Gy, respectively, suggesting that the SAR protocol provides reliable ages up to c. 50 ka on fine quartz and c. 100 ka on coarse quartz. Using the pIRIR₂₂₅ and pIRIR₂₉₀ protocols, equivalent doses up to ~400 Gy can be determined, beyond which in the case of the former the natural dose response curve slightly overestimates the laboratory dose response curve. Our results suggest that the choice of the mineral and luminescence technique to be used for dating loess sediments should take into consideration the reported limited reliability.