Thermoluminescence dating of coarse-grain quartz from the Malan loess at Zhaitang section, China

Thermoluminescence (TL) ages were obtained for five loess samples taken from the Zhaitang section near Beijing, China, using the coarse-grain quartz technique. The paleodose values have been determined by the method of total sample bleaching and regeneration of the TL growth curve. The method appears to be suitable for the age determination of loess samples up to about 150,000 yr where the annual dose-rate values are of the order 3–4 mGy/yr. This limit is a function of the total accumulated dose. The ages are in good agreement with those obtained by a fine-grain TL technique and are consistent with geological and geomagnetostratigraphic evidence.