The full programme book (PDF) - Royal Geographical Society

T2
Revolution and evolution: 35 years of luminescence dating of sediments
G.A.T. Duller 1 and H.M. Roberts 1
1 Aberystwyth Luminescence Research Laboratory, Department of Geography and Earth Sciences,
Aberystwyth University, Ceredigion SY23 3DB, United Kingdom
The first paper describing luminescence dating of Quaternary sediments was published 35
years ago (Wintle and Huntley 1979). Since then a series of revolutionary developments
have been made in the equipment available for measurement, in the methods used for
analysis, and as a consequence in the applications that can be tackled. Luminescence
now plays a major role in providing numerical chronology for the last 100,000 - 200,000
years, and in the future it is hoped that this may be extended over much longer periods of
the Quaternary.
Major technological innovations over the last 35 years have included the development of
automated equipment for measurement of luminescence signals, the discovery of optically
stimulated luminescence, and the development of equipment for single grain
measurements. Major advances in measurement protocols include the development of
single aliquot methods for feldspar and quartz, and more recently the isolation of a stable
signal from feldspars. These technological and procedural innovations have revolutionised
the accuracy and precision of luminescence ages, making it possible for luminescence to
make many major contributions to Quaternary sciences. These include radically improving
our understanding of dust deposition and loess accumulation, revolutionising our
understanding of the dynamics of the world’s major deserts, and rewriting archaeological
interpretations of the peopling of Australia and the timing of innovations in the Middle
Stone Age of Africa.
Luminescence has a bright future, with exciting prospects for extending the age range
over which it is possible to date, and in novel applications such as surface exposure dating
and low temperature thermochronology. Together, it is hoped that the family of established
and emerging luminescence dating techniques will soon be able to span the entire
Quaternary Period, bringing in turn further revolutions in Quaternary science.
Wintle, A. G. and D. J. Huntley (1979). Thermoluminescence dating of a deep-sea sediment core
Nature 279: 710-712.