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Problems and potential of OSL dating Weichselian and Holocene sediments in Sweden

Alexanderson, Helena LU and Murray, Andrew (2012) In Quaternary Science Reviews 44. p.37-50
Abstract
Recent OSL dating of various Late Quaternary deposits in Sweden has resulted in several sets of ages that appear inconsistent with geological interpretation; they usually overestimate the expected age. We explore the problems and potential of OSL-dating in Sweden by analysing quartz-OSL-ages from several known-age sites in Sweden and by investigating their luminescence properties. Two difficulties in obtaining accurate and precise ages are incomplete bleaching and low-sensitivity quartz. Incomplete bleaching can give rise to age overestimation, but the importance of this effect can be minimised by selecting suitable sediment facies, although for some settings unexplained overestimates still remain. Low quartz OSL sensitivity leads to... (More)
Recent OSL dating of various Late Quaternary deposits in Sweden has resulted in several sets of ages that appear inconsistent with geological interpretation; they usually overestimate the expected age. We explore the problems and potential of OSL-dating in Sweden by analysing quartz-OSL-ages from several known-age sites in Sweden and by investigating their luminescence properties. Two difficulties in obtaining accurate and precise ages are incomplete bleaching and low-sensitivity quartz. Incomplete bleaching can give rise to age overestimation, but the importance of this effect can be minimised by selecting suitable sediment facies, although for some settings unexplained overestimates still remain. Low quartz OSL sensitivity leads to practical problems in measurements and larger uncertainties in dose estimates, but not necessarily to systematic age overestimation. Sites that contain Dala sandstone clasts and/or sediments that may have had extensive reworking during the Quaternary seem to provide high-sensitivity quartz. We consider such sites to show the most potential for accurate and precise OSL-dating in Sweden. (Less)
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publication status
published
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in
Quaternary Science Reviews
volume
44
pages
37 - 50
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:79955751820
ISSN
0277-3791
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
005a5eb0-f28f-4ea4-8467-9c64a770da81 (old id 4448280)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 10:18:44
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2022-04-12 04:58:58
@article{005a5eb0-f28f-4ea4-8467-9c64a770da81,
  abstract     = {{Recent OSL dating of various Late Quaternary deposits in Sweden has resulted in several sets of ages that appear inconsistent with geological interpretation; they usually overestimate the expected age. We explore the problems and potential of OSL-dating in Sweden by analysing quartz-OSL-ages from several known-age sites in Sweden and by investigating their luminescence properties. Two difficulties in obtaining accurate and precise ages are incomplete bleaching and low-sensitivity quartz. Incomplete bleaching can give rise to age overestimation, but the importance of this effect can be minimised by selecting suitable sediment facies, although for some settings unexplained overestimates still remain. Low quartz OSL sensitivity leads to practical problems in measurements and larger uncertainties in dose estimates, but not necessarily to systematic age overestimation. Sites that contain Dala sandstone clasts and/or sediments that may have had extensive reworking during the Quaternary seem to provide high-sensitivity quartz. We consider such sites to show the most potential for accurate and precise OSL-dating in Sweden.}},
  author       = {{Alexanderson, Helena and Murray, Andrew}},
  issn         = {{0277-3791}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{37--50}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Quaternary Science Reviews}},
  title        = {{Problems and potential of OSL dating Weichselian and Holocene sediments in Sweden}},
  volume       = {{44}},
  year         = {{2012}},
}