Luminescence dating of cobbles from Pleistocene fluvial terrace deposits of the Ara River,Japan

Constraining the ages of fluvial terraces is essential to understanding fluvial responses to climate and sea-level changes and estimating uplift/incision. Luminescence dating of sand or silt grains from fluvial terrace deposits in Japan is difficult because sand layers are often absent from gravelly deposits, quartz grains are typically dominated by medium/slow components and/or contaminated by feldspars, and short transport distances and short residence times in riverbeds result in poor bleaching of luminescence signals. Luminescence dating of cobbles may overcome these difficulties, but few studies have applied this technique to fluvial terrace deposits. Here, we examine the utility of luminescence dating applied to three granodiorite cobbles from a late Pleistocene fluvial terrace deposit of the Ara River, Japan. We investigated variations of the infrared stimulated luminescence (IRSL) and post-IR IRSL signals with depth in each cobble. The IRSL and post-IR IRSL signals generally increase with depth, indicating that the cobbles were not completely bleached before deposition. Nonetheless, the IRSL ages of the cobble surfaces (19–17 ka) are consistent with the age of a tephra layer (16–15 ka) at the base of loess deposits overlying the terrace. In contrast, IRSL ages of sand-sized feldspar grains overestimate the depositional age because of incomplete bleaching, whereas silt-sized quartz grains greatly underestimate the depositional age, likely because of the thermal instability of the medium component. Our results demonstrate that luminescence dating of cobbles could provide a better understanding of fluvial systems in which luminescence dating of sand grains is difficult.     

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.     

Feldspar multi-elevated-temperature post-IR IRSL dating of the Wulanmulun Paleolithic site and its implication

The Wulanmulun site found in 2010 is an important Paleolithic site in Ordos (China), from which lots of stone and bone artifacts and mammalian fossils have been recovered. It was previously dated by radiocarbon and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) techniques on quartz. To further confirm the reliability of the chronology constructed based on OSL ages and test the applicability of the recently developed pIRIR procedure on sediments from northern China, twenty-four sediment samples (including eolian, lacustrine and fluvio-eolian sands) from the site were determined using the multi-elevated-temperature post-IR IRSL (MET-pIRIR or pIRIR) procedure on potassium feldspar. The results show that the studied samples have two MET-pIRIR D_e preheat plateaus (280–320 and 340–360 °C), and the bleaching rates of the luminescence signals are associated with sample ages and stimulation temperatures. All the pIRIR ages (7–155 ka) corrected for anomalous fading and residual dose obtained after solar bleaching for 15 h are larger than the corresponding quartz OSL ages (4–66 ka) previously determined, even for the young eolian samples (<10 ka). But the corrected IRSL(50 °C) ages (6–85 ka) are broadly consistent with the quartz ages. It appears that the IRSL(50 °C) ages are more reliable, although this contradicts the previously results obtained by other people. On the other hand, we also obtained an extended age plateau between the stimulation temperatures of 50 and 290 °C in the plot of age versus stimulation temperature (A-T plot) by subtracting different residual doses obtained after different bleaching times. The reliability of the plateau ages requires further investigation. For the sediment samples from this site, quartz should be more suitable for dating than K-feldspar, and the quartz OSL ages of 50–65 ka for its cultural layer should be reliable.     

Exploring the potential of luminescence methods for dating Alpine rock glaciers

Rock glaciers contain valuable information about the spatial and temporal distribution of permafrost. The wide distribution of these landforms in high mountains promotes them as useful archives for the deciphering of the environmental conditions during their formation and evolution. However, age constraints are needed to unravel the palaeoclimatic context of rock glaciers, but numerical dating is difficult. Here, we present a case study assessing the potential of luminescence techniques (OSL, IRSL) to date the inner sand-rich layer of active rock glaciers. We focus on the signal properties and the resetting of the signal prior to deposition by investigating single grains. While most quartz shows low signal intensities and problematic luminescence characteristics, K-feldspar exhibits much brighter and well-performing signals. Most signals from plagioclases do not show suitable properties. Luminescence signals far below saturation indicate distinct but differential bleaching. The finite mixture model was used to determine the prominent populations in the equivalent dose distributions. The luminescence ages represent travel times of grains since incorporation into the rock glacier and hence, minimum ages of rock glacier formation. Luminescence ages between 3 ka and 8 ka for three rock glaciers from the Upper Engadine and Albula region (Swiss Alps) agree well with independent age estimates from relative and semi-quantitative approaches. Therefore, luminescence seems to have the potential of revealing age constraints about processes related to the formation of rock glaciers, but further investigations are required for solving some of the problems remaining and reducing the dating uncertainties.     

Luminescence chronology of fluvial and aeolian deposits in the Russian Altai (Southern Siberia)

Geomorphological investigations in the Russian Altai Mountains provide evidence for the extent and timing of Late Quaternary glaciations and aeolian sediments. Infrared optically stimulated luminescence (IR-OSL) and thermoluminescence (TL) dating of aeolian sediments from the central part of the Russian Altai were carried out on silty and sandy sediments that cover fluvial and glacio-fluvial terraces. Most samples from loess, loess-like sediments and sandy loess taken from different terrace sequences within the Altai Mountains provide IRSL ages suggesting a main aeolian deposition period between 25 and 15 ka. These data are consistent with those from the adjacent Mongolian Altai. Sand and silt layers within moraines yielded IRSL age estimates between 22 and 19 ka and correlate to the ice margins of the Last Glacial Maximum. Aeolian dune sands overlying or neighbouring the loess-like sediments and the fluvial terraces at some places provide evidence for Late Glacial (around 15 ka) and Early Holocene (around 9 ka) aeolian activity. The youngest sand sheets gave deposition ages of about 1.5 ka. These sediments covered graves and are related to overgrazing. They provide evidence for the significant human impact on the environment. Fluvial sediments, including silt and sandy gravel intermingled with charcoal, yielded contradicting radiocarbon and luminescence ages. IRSL age estimates obtained for the silty layers range from 19 to 18 ka and are significantly older than the radiocarbon ages, which gave sub-recent ages between 1170 and 910 BP. These data indicate fluvial sedimentation of debris and mudflows in a period of deforestation and strong soil erosion related to mining activities during the 9th and 10th century.     

Violet stimulated luminescence as an alternative for dating complex colluvial sediments in the Atacama Desert

Luminescence dating has become a key tool in studies of the Quaternary. The typically stable luminescence response of quartz grains and the absence of a significant internal dose, make quartz minerals the preferred dosimeter for monitoring the burial dose in sediments. Unfortunately, the reliability of conventional OSL (optically stimulated luminescence) dating, based on blue stimulation, can be compromised when the luminescence decay is not dominated by a rapidly decaying and stable part of the luminescence signal (i.e. the fast component). On the other hand, standard methods in luminescence dating are limited to ages of a few hundred kiloyears. In this study, violet stimulated luminescence (VSL) has been used as a means to overcome both problems, applied to a series of colluvial deposits in the Atacama Desert, Chile. Quartz from this region, characterized by poor blue-OSL response, showed a reproducible and stable VSL signal capable of recovering given doses up to ∼500 Gy and a saturation dose twice as high as conventional OSL. The VSL response from these samples has been studied in detail and the estimated ages have been compared with an already established chronology for the same site, based on IRSL of potassium feldspar single grains. Results agree for the dose range of the profile studied, ∼100–250 Gy, equivalent to ages of 29–79 ka confirming the suitability of VSL for dating sedimentary quartz with unreliable blue-OSL response and to extend the age range of conventional OSL dating.     

Optical dating of hydromagmatic volcanoes on the southwestern coast of Jeju Island, Korea

Jeju Island, the largest Quaternary volcanic island in Korea, has formed mostly since the early Pleistocene, but its latest chronology of volcanism and sedimentation is still poorly constrained. Here we report optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) ages for two hydromagmatic volcanoes on the southwestern coast of Jeju Island, i.e., the Songaksan and Suwolbong tuff rings. The basaltic tuffs of these volcanoes contain abundant quartz sands from underlying marine sedimentary sequences. Two samples collected from the middle part of the Songaksan Tuff yielded highly reproducible quartz single-aliquot regenerative-dose (SAR) OSL ages of 7.0±0.3 ka, providing the first direct age estimate of Holocene volcanism in Jeju Island. The quartz OSL age estimate of 5.1±0.3 ka for the younger reworked basaltic tuff (the Hamori Formation) is comparable with previous radiocarbon and U-series disequilibrium dating of fossil mollusk shells. Two samples from the Suwolbong Tuff show quartz OSL age estimates of 18.3±0.7 and 18.6±0.9 ka, which are identical within error ranges and younger than the quartz OSL age estimate of 23.2±1.0 ka for the underlying Gosan Formation. This study confirms that volcanism and attendant sedimentation were active in Jeju Island until very recently.     

Multiple approaches to date Japanese marker tephras using optical and ESR methods

The present study aimed to test reliability of luminescence and electron spin resonance (ESR) methods to date tephra. We investigated on three Japanese marker tephras, Ikeda-ko (6.4 ka), Aira-Tn (30 ka) and Aira-Iwato (45–50 ka). A systematic studies were performed using different minerals (quartz and feldspar), different grain fractions (75–250 and 250–500 μm), different luminescence and ESR signals, like optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) of quartz, infrared stimulated luminescence (IRSL) of feldspar, including recently developed least faded post infrared IRSL (pIR-IRSL), and ESR signals from paramagnetic centers Al and Ti–Li of quartz. Ages obtained using pIR-IRSL signal of plagioclase with preheat of 320 °C, 60 s and stimulation at 300 °C are consistent with the reference ages. High dose detection range (up to ∼600 Gy) and accurate age estimation enable pIR-IRSL of feldspar a promising methodology to date quaternary tephra. ESR ages from quartz are grossly correlated with the reference ages but large deviation and large associated errors are observed, possibly due to either low signal to noise ratio or heterogenous dose response of different aliquot in multiple aliquot additive dose (MAAD) approach.     

Testing the use of range-finder OSL dating to inform field sampling and laboratory processing strategies

A newly developed range-finder luminescence dating method is applied to samples from the eastern Punjab region of Pakistan. Overbank sediments from this area are the subject of an ongoing project into the demise of the Harappan civilization about 4.2 ka and the range-finder technique was used to ascertain whether samples from three pits are from this part of the Holocene. Luminescence measurements of raw sample gave a signal dominated by feldspars, even when using a [post-IR] optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) signal. Following etching in hydrofluoric acid samples gave OSL signals characteristic of quartz and these were used to calculate the equivalent dose. The total dose rate was estimated from beta counting. Eight range-finder OSL ages extend from 4000 to 6600 years ago and are consistent with two radiocarbon ages from the same pits demonstrating that these sediments do straddle the period of interest for this project. The range-finder approach provides a rapid means of informing future field sampling campaigns.     

Sedimentary and OSL dating evidence for the development of the present Hobq desert landscape, northern China

The sedimentary sequence and landscape of the Hobq desert was observed through twelve profiles along five N-S sections extending through the entire desert. Aeolian sands were found to overlie the alluvial, diluvial, and lacustrine sediments in this desert. Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating results were obtained from post-IR OSL signals of quartz fractions of sand samples at the bottom of sand dunes and hills by using the Double-SAR protocol. The OSL ages reveal that the latest sand accumulation began around 19 ka in the northwestern part and 9 ka in the eastern part of the Hobq Desert. Around 7 ka, the sand accumulation was strengthened and extended southward and northward 2 ka to develop the present desert landscape. Our study suggests that the aeolian sand accumulation around 19, 9 and 7 ka resulted from the weakening of the Asian summer monsoon over this region. However, the rapid development of the present Hobq desert landscape since 2 ka was likely triggered by human activities in this desert.     

Evaluating OSL-SAR protocols for dating quartz grains from the loess in Ili Basin,Central Asia

Late Pleistocene records of loess deposition are a critical archive for understanding terrestrial paleoenvironment changes in Central Asia. The age of loess is not well known for the deserts regions and surrounding high plateaus in Central Asia. Previous studies have shown that there remains a disparity between ages for loess deposition by luminescence and ¹⁴C dating. This study evaluates the potential of optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) to date a loess sequence resting on fluvial sands in the east Ili Basin, Central Asia. The single-aliquot regenerative-dose (SAR) protocol on coarse grain quartz was employed for equivalent dose determinations. The basal fluvial sand returned a secure OSL age, with low overdispersion value in equivalent doses (19 ± 2%) of ca. 36 ka and provides a close, but maximum age estimate (within 5 ka) on the initiation of loess deposition. However, the loess yielded high overdispersion values for equivalent doses and age reversals, coincident with diffuse paleosols; indicating that pedoturbation with loess deposition may be a dominant process. OSL ages between ca. 45 and 14 ka calculated using a maximum age model and OSL ages from other sites in the Basin suggests that the latest major period of loess deposition was between 70 and 10 ka ago. A future hypothesis to test based on these analyses is that there may be three periods of heightened loess deposition at ca. 45, 35 to 19 and 14 ka, when desert source areas to the west were particularly dry.     

K-feldspar IRSL dating of a Pleistocene river terrace staircase sequence of the Lower Tejo River (Portugal,western Iberia)

We present the results of K-feldspar IRSL dating of the four lower terraces (T3–T6) of the Portuguese Tejo River, in the Arripiado-Chamusca area. Terrace correlation was based upon: a) analysis of aerial photographs, geomorphological mapping and field topographic survey; b) sedimentology of the deposits; and c) luminescence dating. Sediment sampled for luminescence dating gave unusually high dose rates, of between 3.4 and 6.2 Gy/ka and, as a result, quartz OSL was often found to be in saturation. We therefore used the IRSL signal from K-feldspar as the principal luminescence technique. The K-feldspar age results support sometimes complex geomorphic correlations, as fluvial terraces have been vertically displaced by faults (known from previous studies). Integration of these new ages with those obtained previously in the more upstream reaches of the Tejo River in Portugal indicates that the corrected K-feldspar IRSL ages are stratigraphically and geomorphologically consistent over a distance of 120 km along the Tejo valley. However, we are sceptical of the accuracy of the K-feldspar ages of samples from the T3 and T4 terraces (with uncorrected D_e values >500 Gy). In these cases the Dose Rate Correction (DRC) model puts the natural signals close to luminescence saturation, giving a minimum corrected D_e of about 1000 Gy, and thus minimum terrace ages; this may even be true for those doses >200 Gy. Luminescence dating results suggest that: T3 is older than 300 ka, probably ca. 420–360 ka (～Marine Isotope Stage [MIS]11); T4 is ca. 340–150 ka (～MIS9-6); T5 is 136–75 ka (～MIS5); T6 is 60–30 ka (MIS3); an aeolian sand unit that blankets T6 and some of the older terraces is 30–≥12 ka. Collectively, the luminescence ages seem to indicate that regional river downcutting events may be coincident with periods of low sea level (associated, respectively, with the MIS10, MIS6, MIS4 and MIS2).     

Optically stimulated luminescence dating of loess in South-Eastern China using quartz and polymineral fine grains

Loess deposits distributed in southeastern China play an important role for paleoclimate reconstruction of the subtropical regions. These loess-paleosol deposits are mainly spread within the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River as well as in the drainage area of the Huai River. The ages of loess paleosol sequences that are distributed along the Huai River are not well constrained. In this study, the standard single-aliquot regenerative dose (SAR) optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) protocol and two elevated temperature post infrared-infrared stimulated luminescence SAR protocols (pIRIR₂₂₅ and pIRIR₂₉₀) were applied on 4–11 μm quartz and polymineral fine grains, respectively, in order to obtain the first numerical luminescence chronology for a loess-paleosol sequence in northern Jiangsu Province. Our results show a good agreement between quartz SAR-OSL and polymineral pIRIR ages up to ~70 ka. These findings confirm that Xiashu loess accumulated during the Last Glaciation. For samples older than this, the ages increasingly deviate with depth. Fine quartz ages beyond 70 ka are interpreted as underestimates, as previous studies reported that quartz ages >70 ka from various sedimentary origins worldwide may underestimate even if they pass rejection criteria and dose recovery tests. On the other hand, the pIRIR ages are most likely overestimating the true depositional ages as indicated by the results of dose recovery tests, where a 30–60% overestimation of the recovered dose is reported for values larger than ~400 Gy. The overestimation of pIRIR protocols was also confirmed by the results obtained when large beta doses were added on top of the natural accrued dose. Moreover, our dating results suggest that L1/S1 transition (corresponding to MIS 5/4 boundary) occurred much higher in the stratigraphic sequence than may have been interpreted from the magnetic susceptibility enhancement. This inconsistency can be assigned to invalidity of magnetic susceptibility as a chronostratigraphical proxy due to ferrimagnetic minerals dissolution or transformation during paedogenesis processes in this humid subtropical region in the southeastern China.     

A comparative study of sand- and silt-sized quartz fractions for MAR-VSL dating using loess-palaeosol deposits in southern Germany

Multiple-aliquot regenerative-dose violet stimulated luminescence (MAR-VSL) dating studies of the Chinese loess-palaeosol sequence in Luochuan using sand- and silt-sized quartz have previously produced inconsistent results; the VSL ages were in agreement with their independent ages up to ∼900 ka for sand-sized quartz, whereas the silt-sized VSL ages underestimated the independent chronology beyond ∼100 ka. Here we therefore evaluate the VSL dose response pattern of sand- (63–100 μm) and silt-sized (4–11 μm) quartz grains from the loess-palaeosol sequence in southern Germany in high resolution but with a limited age range up to ∼160 ka. All the samples studied benefit from good age control provided by reliable quartz optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) ages and fading corrected feldspar post-infrared infrared stimulated luminescence at 225 °C (pIRIR₂₂₅) ages, which can be used for assessing the validity of the estimated VSL ages. The comparison of the MAR standardised dose response curve (DRC) using regeneration doses up to ∼1000 Gy for both grain size fractions demonstrates that they are almost similar in shape with comparable characteristic saturation doses. The comparison of the natural and laboratory generated DRCs of each grain size reveals that they broadly overlap in the low dose range for both fractions, while in the high dose range the deviation between natural and laboratory DRCs is higher for the silt-sized quartz fraction. It is also shown that the magnitude of the characteristic saturation dose is dependent upon the size of the maximum given dose, especially for the silt-sized quartz. The constructed laboratory standardised DRCs to very high doses (up to ∼6000 Gy) showed continuous signal growth at high doses, particularly in the case of silt-sized quartz grains, thereby confirming our previous observation. The sand-sized quartz has a much less pronounced linear growth component and can therefore be considered more suitable for dating samples with equivalent doses falling on the high dose region of the DRC.     

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.     

Constraining the Late Wisconsinan retreat of the Laurentide ice sheet from western Canada using luminescence ages from postglacial aeolian dunes

Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating of quartz extracts from postglacial aeolian dunes from central Alberta in western Canada points to a landscape that was free of ice as early as 15 ka. Data from profiles where multiple ages have been obtained indicate an increase in depositional age with depth, suggesting that older aeolian sands underlie the dated sequences. The OSL ages present plausible minimum age constraints for the retreat of the Laurentide Ice Sheet (LIS) towards the end of the Late Wisconsinan glaciation. Previous reconstructions of the LIS recession have relied on radiocarbon chronologies, despite the scarcity of contemporaneous radiocarbon-bearing material for large parts of western Canada. While the OSL chronology may be deemed concordant with ice sheet margin retreat models determined using radiocarbon data, there appears to be a systematic lag in the radiocarbon ages which may reflect that aeolian activity is initiated prior to the proliferation of organic material. The OSL chronology reported in this study does not preclude the emergence of a wide deglacial corridor between the LIS and the Cordilleran Ice Sheet by 15 ka or earlier. The possibility of such a passage would resuscitate the notion of an ice-free corridor that appeared early enough to afford the first peoples of the Americas a navigable inland migratory passage from Beringia to south of the North American ice sheets. More broadly, the corridor would also have allowed genetic exchanges between the Beringian refugium and the American middle and low latitudes.     

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.     

Single grain optical dating of glacigenic deposits

Determining the age of glacigenic sediments is difficult for many geochronological methods because of the lack of suitable materials for analysis. Luminescence dating can be applied to the mineral grains making up the glacigenic sediments. However a major source of uncertainty in previous studies has been whether the mineral grains were exposed to sufficient daylight prior to deposition for the luminescence signal to be reset. Measurements of the optically stimulated luminescence signal from single sand-sized quartz grains offers the potential for explicitly identifying if a sediment contains grains that were not exposed to sufficient daylight to reset their signal. Statistical analysis of the resulting data can then reject those grains to allow the age of the sample to be determined. This study is the first to apply single grain optical dating to glacigenic sediments, and demonstrates the issues involved by analysis of samples from Chile and Scotland. Ages from 2.4±0.5 to 17.3±1.5 ka are produced. Comparison of the results with independent age control suggests that the ages are reliable. The results also show that the extent of bleaching at deposition varies considerably from one sample to another. For the most incompletely bleached sample, luminescence measurements based on the average of many hundreds or thousands of grains would have overestimated the age of the sample by 60 ka, but the single grain method proposed here was able to reliably date it.     

Comparison of paired quartz OSL and feldspar post-IR IRSL dose distributions in poorly bleached fluvial sediments from South Africa

A comparative study using quartz optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) and feldspar post-infrared infrared stimulated luminescence (post-IR IRSL) was undertaken on Quaternary fluvial sediments from an unnamed tributary of the Moopetsi River in South Africa. The aim is to assess whether the post-IR IRSL signal can be used to date incompletely bleached sediments. Several post-IR IRSL signals using varying stimulation and preheat temperatures were investigated; of these the post-IR IRSL₂₂₅ signal was deemed most appropriate for dating because it bleached most rapidly. The feldspar post-IR IRSL₂₂₅ equivalent dose (D_e) values from this site are consistently larger than those from quartz OSL, probably due to differences in the bleaching characteristics of the two signals. Additionally, the post-IR IRSL₂₂₅ D_e values within a sample showed less variation in precision than the quartz D_e data, possibly due to greater averaging between grains in the feldspar small aliquots. The agreement between ages based on the OSL and post-IR IRSL₂₂₅ signals was better for younger samples (<20 ka) than for older ones (>50 ka); the cause of this variation is unclear.     

Luminescence properties of single grain quartz to determine the history of a sample from the Sahara Desert

In this work we present luminescence analyses of material taken from a Neolithic hearth in the Sahara Desert in Egypt. The sample was taken from a beach sand layer which contained traces of charcoal. The sample was dated using quartz luminescence, and its luminescence properties were investigated to find whether it had been heated by fire. In doing so we established a procedure to distinguish heated and unheated quartz at single grain level.The OSL age estimate of the sample is 10.6 ± 0.4 ka. Luminescence properties were measured using about 40,000 individual grains. Using an approach similar to that used to measure thermal activation characteristics (TAC), we compared the distribution of OSL sensitivity of single grains following different thermal treatments. It was found that higher temperatures and longer treatment times change the sensitivity distributions systematically from that observed using the natural sample. We conclude that the grains examined in our dating study were not heated by fire prior to burial, and that the hearth is not older than the OSL age.