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Thermoluminescence dating of periods of loess deposition and soil formation in Normandy

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Abstract

The least incomplete records of Pleistocene climate change come from the study of deep-sea sediments in which the stratigraphic record of oxygen isotope variations, reflecting terrestrial ice volume, is the primary correlation medium. On continents, the available record is far less complete because many of the characteristics of glaciation are erosional rather than depositional. The areas of loess deposition may provide the best deposits in which to develop relatively complete regional stratigraphies that may be compared with the deep-sea record1,2. In this study we use thermoluminescence (TL) dating of loess, and of soil developed on loess, to test this model. We have confined ourselves to the last complete glacial cycle within which the reproducibility of the age determinations is similar to the time resolution of most deep-sea core records.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Godwin Laboratory, Sub-department of Quaternary Research, University of Cambridge, Free School Lane, Cambridge, CB2 3RS, UK

    A. G. Wintle & N. J. Shackleton

  2. Centre de Geomorphologie du CNRS, rue des Tilleuls, 14000, Caen, France

    J. P. Lautridou

Authors
  1. A. G. Wintle
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  2. N. J. Shackleton
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  3. J. P. Lautridou
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Wintle, A., Shackleton, N. & Lautridou, J. Thermoluminescence dating of periods of loess deposition and soil formation in Normandy. Nature 310, 491–493 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1038/310491a0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/310491a0

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