Exploring the method of optical dating and comparison of optical and 14 C ages of Late Weichselian coversands in the southern Netherlands

Abstract

A study was made of the applicability of three different techniques for equivalent dose ( D e ) determination in the optical dating of quartz: the single‐aliquot regenerative‐dose technique (SAR), the single‐aliquot additive‐dose technique (SAAD) and the multiple‐aliquot additive‐dose technique (MAAD). For this purpose, quartz grains were extracted from a sequence of Upper Pleniglacial to Late‐glacial coversands exposed at the locality of Ossendrecht in the southwestern Netherlands, a site for which both radiocarbon and earlier luminescence dates are available, providing independent age control. Upon testing the different assumptions underlying each of the three OSL techniques investigated, the SAR protocol was found to be the technique of choice. The optical ages obtained with this protocol were in good agreement with the chronostratigraphical position of the sediments investigated and with the available chronostratigraphical information on the same and equivalent deposits. This confirms the suitability of the SAR technique for dating coversands. Furthermore, a small laboratory intercomparison of SAR‐based D e determinations yielded results that were in fair overall agreement. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Bibliographic Information