Rapid equivalent dose estimation for eolian dune sands using a portable OSL reader and polymineralic standardised luminescence growth curves: Expedited sample screening for OSL dating

Kennedy Munyikwa, Selena Brown

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal Articlepeer-review

19 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Portable optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) readers are robust devices that allow rapid determination of luminescence signals of polymineralic coarse-grained samples. To date, however, the utility of portable OSL readers has largely been confined to the construction of luminescence profiles that depict variations of luminescence signal intensities with depth. Because the luminescence signals used to construct such profiles are uncalibrated, it is neither practical to quantitatively compare portable OSL data from different sites nor is it possible to approximate sample ages. Such comparisons could be facilitated by converting portable OSL signals into equivalent doses (De). However, determining De requires the construction of unique growth curves for each sample; a laborious procedure that negates the rapidity associated with portable measurements. To circumvent that limitation, we construct standardised growth curves (SGCs) using normalized regeneration dose signals obtained using a portable OSL reader from the feldspar component of polymineralic sands from five disparate eolian dune sites in Alberta, Canada. Comparison of SGCs from different samples indicates general congruence and we merge these to construct a regionally applicable curve which we test by comparing the De obtained from given samples with that obtained using conventional OSL dating protocols. Results show that, though the uncertainties associated with the portable OSL data are high, the De values from the two approaches are linearly proportional. This direct variation enables portable OSL SGC De values to be used independently in reconnaissance studies that aim to screen samples for more detailed analysis using standard OSL methods. The affordability of portable OSL readers suggests that the approach could be attractive to researchers who do not have ready access to conventional OSL readers.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)116-125
Number of pages10
JournalQuaternary Geochronology
Volume22
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Aug. 2014

Keywords

  • Eolian sands
  • Equivalent dose
  • OSL dating
  • Portable OSL reader
  • Standardized growth curve

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