Abstract
Radiocarbon dates of pre-Holocene marine deposits in Hong Kong ranging from 21.580±1.210 to 45.700±2.000 years BP are found to be younger than uranium-series dates of mollusks and other indirect age evidence. Two mollusk samples yielded last interglacial ages of 130.500±5.300 and 142.000±20.000 years BP. respectively. Palynological and oxygen-isotope evidence shows that the marine deposits containing the mollusks were formed under marginally warmer temperature conditions than in the present day, which is consistent with a last interglacial age. Since old radiocarbon dates are likely to be minimum age estimates, similar studies carried out elsewhere would be of value to Pleistocene stratigraphy.
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Yim, W.W.S., Ivanovich, M. & Yu, K.F. Young age bias of radiocarbon dates in pre-holocene marine deposits of Hong Kong and implications for Pleistocene stratigraphy. Geo-Marine Letters 10, 165–172 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02085932
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02085932