Construction of a quartz OSL standardised growth curve (SGC) for aeolian samples from the Horqin dunefield in northeastern China

It has been suggested that the standardised growth curve (SGC) method can be used to de-terminate D_e accurately and reduce the measurement time. However, different opinions regarding the applicability of the SGC method exist. In this paper, we report the construction of quartz OSL SGC for 35 aeolian samples from different parts of the Horqin dunefield in northeastern China, and then test their applicability for D_e determination. Our results suggest that: 1) up to a regeneration dose of 80 Gy, the SGC of the Horqin dunefield can be fitted using the exponential plus linear equation, with the r² value of 0.97, and all the regeneration dose points closely stick to the fitting line, implying that all samples share a very similar dose-response curve; 2) for samples with Des ranging from 1 to 50 Gy, the ratios of SAR D_e to SGC D_e fall within the range of 0.9–1.1, and the average ratio of SAR D_e to SGC D_e is 1.01±0.01, close to unity. Therefore, the construction of SGC is correct, and the SGC is an effective procedure for accurate D_e determination for samples from the study area.     

从北向南,穿越中国海

<正>从北向南,这是一次整个中国海的穿越之旅。非常幸运,我有机会搭乘了一艘保障海军学员远洋航海实习的舰船,从大连旅顺起航,纵跨渤海海峡、黄海海域、东海海域,经台湾海峡进入浩瀚的南中国海,完成了一场历时30多天的海上特殊旅行。     

Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating investigations of rock and underlying soil from three case studies

Three rock samples and associated underlying surface (floor) soils of geoarchaeological significance from Greece, Sweden and a modern surface stone-sample from a Danish site were investigated using OSL dating. Thin slice, sub-samples, from drilled core surfaces were prepared. A single-aliquot regenerative-dose (SAR) protocol was used on whole rock slices to estimate the laboratory equivalent dose. Laboratory tests showed that the SAR protocol successfully corrected for sensitivity changes and that a known laboratory dose could be measured accurately.     

OSL dating using quartz fine grains extracted from loess in Upper Palaeolithic sites of Nihewan Basin, northern China

Although radiocarbon (¹⁴C) dating, uranium-series dating, and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating have been conducted for Upper Palaeolithic sites in the Nihewan Basin, northern China, there is room for constructing a detailed chronological framework. In this study, loess sediments collected from two Upper Palaeolithic sites, Youfang site and Hutouliang site, were dated using the single-aliquot regenerative-dose (SAR) OSL protocol. OSL measurements for palaeodoses estimation used fine-grained quartz samples extracted from loess. OSL dating results were obtained as 10–17 ka. These OSL ages were consistent with the related stratigraphy of Palaeolithic sites, archaeological evidence and independent ¹⁴C ages.     

Holocene sediments of the Ustka Cliff (Northern Poland) in view of radiometric dating

The cliff in Ustka is an active one. The area is one of the most eroded sea shores of the Polish coast. The Ustka Cliff mainly consists of Holocene sandy deposits, but its basis is built of glacial till and clay. Field search allowed to recognize the structure and sedimentary conditions of Holocene deposits exposed in the cliff. A comparison of dating results obtained for fossil soils and peat as well as aeolian deposits, using ¹⁴C and TL methods, respectively, with available literature records is presented. The evaluation of results obtained allowed to define three main dune-forming phases for the first time for this part of the Polish coast. During the research studies new data on the processes and environmental conditions was gained and the development of structure of the area during the last 10 thousand years was reconstructed. The analysis of available data from other sections of the southern Baltic coast shows that results obtained are age similar to those determined for the ?eba Spit. The research is part of a project concerning the geomorphology of the Ustka Bay.     

OSL and TL dating of the Middle Stone Age sequence at Diepkloof Rock Shelter (South Africa): a clarification

Diepkloof Rock Shelter offers an exceptional opportunity to study the onset and evolution of both Still Bay (SB) and Howiesons Poort (HP) techno-complexes. However, previous age estimates based on luminescence dating of burnt quartzites (Tribolo et al., 2009) and of sediments (Jacobs et al., 2008) were not in agreement. Here, we present new luminescence ages for 17 rock samples (equivalent dose estimated with a SAR-ITL protocol instead of classical MAAD-TL) as well as for 5 sediment samples (equivalent dose estimated with SAR-single grain OSL protocol) and an update of the 22 previous age estimates for burnt lithics (modified calibration and beta dose estimates). While a good agreement between the rock and sediment ages is obtained, these estimates are still significantly older than those reported by Jacobs et al. (2008). After our own analyses of the sediment from Diepkloof, it is suspected that these authors did not correctly chose the parameters for the equivalent dose determination, leading to an underestimate of the equivalent doses, and thus of the ages.     

The use of OSL dating in unstructured sands: the archaeology and chronology of the Hutton Sands at Canteen Kopje (Northern Cape Province, South Africa)

Archaeological research at the site of Canteen Kopje, Northern Cape Province, South Africa, has focused on the rich Earlier Stone Age assemblages recovered from the Younger Vaal Gravels. This paper presents the results of excavation and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating of the overlying Hutton Sands. We discuss the evidence for colonial period interaction between diamond miners and indigenous groups at the site, as well as the presence of an earlier phase of terminal Middle Stone Age/early Later Stone Age occupation. The OSL analyses demonstrate the potential distortion of OSL ages due to substantial bioturbation and its effect on the dating of archaeological sites situated in unconsolidated sands.     

Comparing different post-IR IRSL approaches for the dating of Holocene coastal foredunes from Ruhnu Island,Estonia

Different post-IR Infrared Stimulated Luminescence (IRSL) approaches are applied to sediments from a Holocene coastal foredune sequence on Ruhnu Island in the eastern Baltic Sea. The comparison of D _e-values and ages determined by the different approaches is complimented by fading and bleaching experiments. The fading experiments imply strong fading of IRSL (50°C) signals and no fading of any of the post-IR IRSL signals, but this is not confirmed by the determined D _e-values. In fact, post-IR IRSL (150°C) D _e-values agree within errors with those calculated for IRSL (50°C). From the bleaching experiments it is inferred that the higher values observed for post-IR IRSL at more elevated stimulation temperatures (225°C/290°C) are likely related to either thermal transfer and/or slow-to-bleach components within the signal. For the dating of the Holocene foredune sequence of Ruhnu Island, the post-IR IRSL (150°C) approach is preferred and these agree with the limited independent age control available from radiocarbon dating. Accordingly, the sequence formed between ca. 7.0 ka and 2.5 ka ago.     

Investigations on the degree of bleaching of quartz OSL signals using modern aeolian dust from western Loess Plateau, China

Optically Stimulated Luminescence signal of quartz extracted from modern aeolian dust with known maximum age (about decades) was analyzed in terms of degree of bleaching. The results of dose recovery tests show that the modified double single-aliquot regenerative-dose protocol with the early background subtraction is robust for dating these modern dusts using small aliquots. Bleaching of these dusts is discussed based on the distribution of De values in histograms, scatter plots of D_e versus sensitivity corrected natural OSL signal and comparison between measured D_e and expected D_e. The results indicate that most dusts were completely bleached but some dusts were not completely bleached. For those incompletely bleached dusts in Lanzhou area, the maximum OSL age overestimation is up to ～1 ka, which might be caused by fast deposition accompanied by heavy sand/dust storms. The research suggests that cautions should be given to OSL ages younger than 1 ka in the western China close to deserts.     

Optical dating and sedimentary record from the terrace depositional profile of the Warta River (Central Poland)

Results of OSL dating and sedimentary studies from the profile of the low alluvial terrace of the middle Warta River are presented. The samples were dated using the single-aliquot regenera-tive method. Dating was used to establish a timing of the Weichselian Late Glacial events in the river valley environment. Stable conditions on the floodplain are expressed by the deposition of organic-rich series radiocarbon dated at 12 900-12 600 cal BP and 11 600-10 770 cal BP. Samples for OSL dating were collected from the mineral material deposited during the intensification of flood events during the Weichselian decline. The results obtained for the alluvia range from 12.78 ± 0.62 ka b2k to 14.33 ± 0.74 ka b2k. Sedimentological criteria allowed to distinguish between particular flood events. Overestimation of OSL ages is probably a result of rapidity of environmental changes in that time.     

ESR dose response of Al center measured in quartz samples from the Yellow River (China): Implications for the dating of Upper Pleistocene sediment

The ESR dating method requires to describe the evolution of the ESR signal intensities vs. increasing gamma doses, then to extrapolate the equivalent dose of radiation received by the sample since its deposition using mathematical fitting. The function classically used to describe the growth curves of ESR aluminium signal in quartz was recently discussed and challenged for Lower Pleistocene sediments. In the present work, some alluvial sediments sampled in Upper Pleistocene fluvial terraces of the Yellow River system (China) permit us to test the application of another extrapolation function (linear + exponential) recently proposed for Lower Pleistocene sediments. The equivalent doses obtained here for the recent deposits of the Yellow River system and the corresponding ages are promising and indicate the potential of ESR to date quartz deposits from Upper Pleistocene times.     

New radiocarbon dating of the transition from the Middle to the Upper Paleolithic in Kebara Cave,Israel

The Middle to Upper Paleolithic transition (MP-UP transition) is considered a major technological and cultural threshold, at the time when modern humans spread “out of Africa”, expanded from the Levant into Europe and possibly into central and northern Asia. The dating of this techno-cultural transition has proved to be extremely difficult because it occurred sometime before 40,000 radiocarbon years before present (¹⁴C years BP), which is close to the end of the effective dating range of radiocarbon. Other dating methods such as Thermoluminescence (TL) or Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) are not sufficiently precise to date the recorded archaeological MP-UP transition in the Levant. Here we report a consistent set of stratified radiocarbon ages on freshly excavated charcoal from Kebara Cave, Mt. Carmel (Israel), that span the late Middle Paleolithic (MP) and Early Upper Paleolithic (EUP) This study applied novel strategies to improve sample preparation techniques and data analysis to obtain high-resolution radiocarbon models. From this study it is proposed that the MP-UP transition for this site can be placed immediately after 45,200 ± 700 ¹⁴C years BP and before 43,600 ± 600 ¹⁴C years BP or from 49/48 to 47/46 radiocarbon calibrated years before present (years Cal BP).     

Optical dating of alluvial deposits at the orogenic front of the andean precordillera (Mendoza,Argentina)

Well constrained numerical ages of alluvial fan sediments are key to understanding the chronology of alluvial episodes and tectonic activity at the front of the Andean Precordillera. We tested the application of radiocarbon and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating in the distal part of an alluvial fan five kilometers north of Mendoza. For OSL dating a large number of aliquots (n > 70) — each composed of ∼50 quartz grains — were measured in order to obtain reliable burial ages despite scattered dose distributions. Owing to a feldspar contamination in all samples, an infrared stimulation was inserted before each OSL measurement, which reduced the feldspar OSL signal successfully. By using the minimum age model we obtained stratigraphically consistent burial ages of alluvial deposits in a depth profile. The uppermost ∼1 m of sediment is composed of debris flow deposits buried 770±76 years ago. Three plant remnants used for radiocarbon dating from the same layer, however, yielded ages younger than 350 years, which are interpreted to underestimate the depositional age. Underneath the debris flow, a major unconformity cuts a series of distal alluvial fan sediments with interstratified floodplain deposits, which are composed of sandy and calciterich silt layers, respectively. Three samples from this unit which were distributed over one meter of sediment thickness yielded statistically concordant OSL ages of 12.3±1.2 ka, 12.3±1.2 ka, and 11.7±1.1 ka. The deposition of these sediments during the latest Pleistocene coincides with a phase of cool and humid climate, which occurred before the alluvial fan propagated farther into the foreland. The overlying debris flow sediments are associated with alluvial fan incision during the arid Late Holocene.     

Archaeological and archaeomagnetic dating at a site from the ager Tarraconensis (Tarragona,Spain): El Vila-sec Roman pottery

A very accurate archaeological dating of a Roman site in NE Spain (El Vila-sec) was made based on the typology of pottery artifacts. Three different phases were identified with activity ranging from the mid-1st century BC to the early-3rd century AD. Analyses of bricks from kilns at El Vila-sec produced data on their stored archaeomagnetic vector. These data were compared with the secular variation curve for the Iberian Peninsula and the SCHA.DIF.3K regional archaeomagnetic model. Both, the reference curve and the model, produced probability distributions for the final period of use for two kilns from the second archaeological phase that were not used during the third phase. At a 95% confidence level, both time distributions cover a wide chronological range including the presumed archaeological age. Both the Iberian secular variation curve and the SCHA.DIF.3K regional model proved to be suitable models for dating the site, although on their own they do not produce a single unambiguous solution. This archaeomagnetic approach could also be applied to neighbouring archaeological sites that have an imprecise archaeological age.     

从泰山到东海抑或是从东海到地下——关于北宋中期以前买地券中一类常见用语的讨论

在讨论中国东南地域之江西地区(兼及湖北部分地区)墓葬出土的北宋中期以前买地券中"东海"、"水中鱼"、"高山鹿"等常见用语的含义以及唐宋时期"张坚固"、"李定度"身份之变化的基础上,可以初步得出这样的推论:如果说从前秦到唐初的数百年里在新疆吐鲁番地区还有可能存在着"东海"信仰的话,那么在两宋时期的江西、湖北地区,昔日有关"东海"的观念和记忆正在逐渐消退,到了南宋,已基本消失于人们的脑海中,连同隐没的还有这一观念可能代表的某种有关死后世界的信仰,与它们一起湮灭的还有水中鱼、高山鹿和天上鹤这些居住于东海边的神灵;张坚固、李定度的新身份或许意味着一种新的冥世信仰。     

Topographical evolution and C age dating of the construction of the Eurimji reservoir (Jecheon,Korea)

The Eurimji site in Jecheon City, Chungcheong Province holds major importance for Korean cultural heritage because it is assumed to be the oldest man-made reservoir for rice field irrigation in Korea. A multiproxy study provides the first scientific dating of the levee construction. The authors retrieved two sediment cores from the levee (core ER-1, 18.00 m long) and the reservoir bottom (core ER-3-1, 6.98 m long). Several plant fragment layers were observed between layers of dark gray clay–silt sediment in unit 2 of both cores. The spacing and thickness of these plant layers was relatively uniform (from 50 to 90 cm, and 5 to 6 cm, respectively). These features are interpreted to represent part of a man-made sedimentary sequence created using the consolidation-settlement drain method (tamped-earth or rammed-earth method) commonly used for dam or fortress construction in ancient times, as the features are not characteristic of natural river sedimentary processes. In this alternating sequence, bulk carbon from the sediment yielded AMS ¹⁴C dates of 2000–1400 ¹⁴C yr BP, and the plant materials yielded dates of 1300–1200 ¹⁴C yr BP. If workers at that time used two different materials such as available plant materials and clays for levee construction, the plant material is preferred for ¹⁴C age dating. This is because the origin of the carbon in the sediments is ambiguous, but the source of the plant materials has been confidently determined to be equivalent to the time of the levee construction. Therefore, the levee was constructed between 1200 and 1100 ¹⁴C yr BP (AD 800–900), which is later than previously thought (i.e., AD 300 or AD 550). The results of our study also indicate that wetlands existed in the area before the construction of the Eurimji levee.     

A new antiarch placoderm from the Emsian (Early Devonian) of Wuding,Yunnan, China

Pan, Z., Zhu, M., Zhu, Y. &; Jia, L., August 2017. A new antiarch placoderm from the Emsian (Early Devonian) of Wuding, Yunnan, China. Alcheringa 42, 10–21. ISSN 0311-5518.

Wufengshania magniforaminis, a new genus and species of the Euantiarcha (Placodermi: Antiarcha), is described from the late Emsian (Early Devonian) of Wuding, Yunnan, southwestern China. The referred specimens were three-dimensionally preserved in black shales, allowing a high-resolution computed tomography reconstruction of anatomical details. The new euantiarch is characterized by a large orbital fenestra, an arched exoskeletal band around the orbital fenestra and a developed obtected nuchal area of the skull roof. Maximum parsimony analysis, using a revised data-set of antiarchs with 44 taxa and 66 characters, resolves Wufengshania gen. nov. as a member of the Bothriolepididae, which is characterized by the presence of the infraorbital sensory canal diverging on the lateral plate, and the nuchal plate with orbital facets. New analysis supports a sister group relationship between Dianolepis and the Bothriolepididae. Luquanolepis, a coeval euantiarch from the neighboring site of the new form, is referred to the Asterolepidoidei and represents the basalmost and earliest member of the Asterolepidoidei.

Zhaohui Pan* [panzhaohui@ivpp.ac.cn], Min Zhu* [zhumin@ivpp.ac.cn], You’an Zhu^? [zhuyouan@ivpp.ac.cn] and Liantao Jia [jialiantao@ivpp.ac.cn] Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, PO Box 643, Beijing 100044, PR China. *Also affiliated with University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, PR China. ^?Also affiliated with Uppsala University, PO Box 256, 751 05 Uppsala, Sweden.     

New fossil helorid wasps (Hymenoptera,Proctotrupoidea) from the Early Cretaceous of China

Li, L., Shih, C. & Ren, D., February 2017. New fossil helorid wasps (Hymenoptera, Proctotrupoidea) from the Early Cretaceous of China. Alcheringa 41, 474–486. ISSN 0311-5518

Two new genera with two new species, Bellohelorus fortis and Novhelorus macilentus, and one new species, Protocyrtus parilis, within an established genus are described. Laiyanghelorus erymnus is re-described based on well-preserved specimens from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation at Huangbanjigou Village, Beipiao City, Western Liaoning Province, China. Three taxonomic changes are proposed: Liaoropronia Zhang & Zhang is transferred from Roproniidae to Heloridae, and Novhelorus saltatrix (Shi, Zhao, Shih & Ren) and Spherogaster beipiaoensis (Shi, Zhao, Shih & Ren) are recombined. In addition, Gurvanhelorus mongolicus Rasnitsyn is tentatively considered a synonym of Protocyrtus validus Zhang & Zhang. A key to all genera of Heloridae is provided. All described helorid fossils with their distribution and geological age are summarized. Key forewing characters are compared for all fossil species to show the interspecific venational differences, which highlight a high level of genus-level diversity among Mesozoic helorids.

Longfeng Li [fenger4499@163.com], Chungkun Shih* [chungkun.shih@gmail.com] and Dong Ren [rendong@mail.cnu.edu.cn], College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, PR China. *Also affiliated with Department of Paleobiology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20013, USA. Received 20.4.2016; revised 19.9.2016; accepted 11.11.2016.     

The oldest root-eating beetle from the Middle Jurassic of China (Coleoptera,Monotomidae)

Cai, C.-Y., ?lipiński, A. & Huang, D.-Y., 31.3.2015. The oldest root-eating beetle from the Middle Jurassic of China (Coleoptera, Monotomidae). Alcheringa 39,488–493. ISSN 0311-5518.

Jurorhizophagus alienus gen. et sp. nov., a new fossil root-eating beetle, is described and figured based on an exceptionally well-preserved impression fossil from the Middle Jurassic Daohugou beds (ca 165 Ma), Inner Mongolia, northeastern China. It represents the earliest fossil Monotomidae known to date. Jurorhizophagus can not be assigned to either of two subfamilies Monotominae or Rhizophaginae based on the unique combination of many unusual characters, including an 11-segmented antenna with a 3-segmented club, the presence of a distinct frontoclypeal suture and transverse pronotum with a median longitudinal groove. The discovery of a new genus from the Middle Jurassic highlights the antiquity of Monotomidae and provides new information about the phylogenetic relationships between Monotomidae and its allied families.

Chen-Yang Cai [caichenyang1988@163.com], Di-Ying Huang [dyhuang@nigpas.ac.cn] (corresponding author), State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, PR China; Adam ?lipiński [adam.slipinski@csiro.au], Australian National Insect Collection, CSIRO National Collections Australia, GPO Box 1700, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia.     

Radiocarbon and U-series dating of the endemic deer Praemegaceros cazioti (Depéret) from “Grotta Juntu”, Sardinia

Radiocarbon and U-series methods (²³⁰Th/U and ²³¹Pa/²³⁵U) for absolute age determination have been applied to some fossil samples from Grotta Juntu, in North Eastern Sardinia (Italy). The remains belong to the endemic deer species Praemegaceros cazioti, which is here represented by an almost complete skeleton. The three dating methods lead to concordant ages of about 7500 years BP, indicating that the skeleton was maintained as closed system after burial. Taking into consideration these results, Praemegaceros cazioti from Grotta Juntu is now the youngest representative of this species in Sardinia.