Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Luminescence Dating of Alluvial Fans and Cones

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Dating Torrential Processes on Fans and Cones

Part of the book series: Advances in Global Change Research ((AGLO,volume 47))

Abstract

Alluvial fans and debris cones are important buffers in the sediment cascade from mountains to the sea. Interactions between tectonic, climate, and base-level controls often render fans and cones dynamic geomorphic features – even on timescales of millennia and beyond (Harvey 2010). Unraveling such dynamics has proven difficult mainly because establishing chronologies for fans and cones is challenging: Buried organic remains are usually scare (Chiverrell and Jakob 2012, this volume), dendrochronology and lichenometry (Schneuwly-Bollschweiler and Stoffel 2012, this volume; Jomelli 2012, this volume) will often be limited to cone and fan surfaces and help accessing the recent past only (Lang et al. 1999), and rarely are tephra layers preserved or synsedimentary carbonates developed that would permit radiometric dating. Luminescence dating can offer an alternative as it allows determining the time when sediments were laid down. But limitations exist that are related to (i) limited exposure of sediment grains to daylight during the short and rapid transport of many fan deposits and (ii) low luminescence sensitivity of quartz from many high mountain environments. After a brief introduction on luminescence dating techniques, an overview of relevant dating applications is given and the possibilities and limitations of applying luminescence dating to alluvial fan and debris cones are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 89.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Aitken MJ (1994) Optical dating – a nonspecialist review. Quat Sci Rev 13(5–7):503–508

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aitken MJ, Xie J (1992) Optical dating using infrared diodes: young samples. Quat Sci Rev 11:147–152

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bailey RM (2000) The slow component of quartz optically stimulated luminescence. Radiat Meas 32(3):233–246

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bailey RM, Arnold LJ (2006) Statistical modelling of single grain quartz De distributions and an assessment of procedures for estimating burial dose. Quat Sci Rev 25(19–20):2475

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berger GW, Sawyer TL, Unruh JR (2010) Single- and multigrain luminescence dating of sediments related to the Greenville fault, eastern San Francisco Bay area, California. Bull Seismol Soc Am 100:1051–1072

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blaauw M, Christen JA (2005) The problems of radiocarbon dating. Science 308(5728):1551–1553

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bulur E (1996) An alternative technique for optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) experiment. Radiat Meas 26:701–709

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chiverrell R, Jakob M (2012) Radiocarbon dating: alluvial fan/debris cone evolution and hazards. In: Schneuwly-Bollschweiler M, Stoffel M, Rudolf-Miklau M (eds) Dating torrential processes on fans and cones – methods and their application for hazard and risk assessment, Advances in global change research. Springer, Dordrecht/Heidelberg/London/New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Chiverrell RC, Foster GC, Thomas GSP, Marshall P, Hamilton D (2008) Robust chronologies for landform development in fluvial environments. Earth Surf Process Landf. doi:10.1002/esp.1720

  • Clarke ML (1996) IRSL dating of sands: bleaching characteristics at deposition inferred from the use of single aliquots. Radiat Meas 26(4):611–620

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Colls AE, Stokes S, Blum MD, Straffin E (2001) Age limits on the late quaternary evolution of the upper Loire River. Quat Sci Rev 20(5–9):743–750

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ditlefsen C (1992) Bleaching of K-Feldspars in turbid water suspensions – a comparison of photoluminescence and thermoluminescence signals. Quat Sci Rev 11(1–2):33–38

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Duller GAT (1991) Equivalent dose determination using single aliquots. Nucl Tracks Radiat Meas 18(4):371–378

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fitzsimmons KE, Rhodes EJ, Barrows TT (2010) OSL dating of southeast Australian quartz: a preliminary assessment of luminescence characteristics and behaviour. Quat Geochronol 5:91–95

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Galbraith RF, Laslett GM (1993) Statistical models for mixed fission track ages. Nucl Tracks Radiat Meas 21:459–470

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Galbraith RF, Roberts RG, Laslett GM, Yoshida H, Olley JM (1999) Optical dating of single and multiple grains of quartz from jinmium rock shelter, northern Australia, part 1, experimental design and statistical models. Archaeometry 41:339–364

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Godfrey-Smith DI, Huntley DJ, Chen WH (1988) Optical dating studies of quartz and feldspar sediment extracts. Quat Sci Rev 7:373–380

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Grögler N, Houtermans FG, Stauffer H (1960) Ueber die Datierung von Keramik und Ziegel durch Thermolumineszenz. Helv Phys Acta 33:595–596

    Google Scholar 

  • Harvey AM (2010) Local buffers to the sediment cascade: debris cones and alluvial fans. In: Burt TP, Allison RJ (eds) Sediment cascades – an integrated approach. Wiley, Chichester, pp 153–180

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Huntley DJ, Godfreysmith DI, Thewalt MLW (1985) Optical dating of sediments. Nature 313(5998):105–107

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hütt G, Jaek I, Tchonka J (1988) Optical dating – K-Feldspars optical-response stimulation spectra. Quat Sci Rev 7(3–4):381–385

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jomelli V (2012) Lichenometric dating of debris avalanche deposits with an example from the French Alps. In: Schneuwly-Bollschweiler M, Stoffel M, Rudolf-Miklau M (eds) Dating torrential processes on fans and cones – methods and their application for hazard and risk assessment, Advances in global change research. Springer, Dordrecht/Heidelberg/London/New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Kalchgruber R, Fuchs M, Wagner GA (2003) Evaluating dose-rate distributions in natural sediments using a-Al2O3:C grains. Radiat Meas 37:293–297

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lamothe M, Balescu S, Auclair M (1994) Natural Irsl intensities and apparent luminescence ages of single feldspar grains extracted from partially bleached sediments. Radiat Meas 23(2–3):555–561

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lang A (1994) Infrared stimulated luminescence dating of Holocene reworked silty sediments. Quat Sci Rev 13(5–7):525–528

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lang A, Hönscheidt S (1999) Age and source of colluvial sediments at Vaihingen-Enz, Germany. Catena 38(2):89–107

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lang A, Wagner GA (1997) Infrared stimulated luminescence dating of Holocene colluvial sediments using the 410 nm emission. Quat Sci Rev 16(3–5):393–396

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lang A, Moya J, Corominas J, Schrott L, Dikau R (1999) Classic and new dating methods for assessing the temporal occurrence of mass movements. Geomorphology 30(1–2):33–52

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Le Dortz K, Meyer B, Sébrier M, Nazari H, Braucher R, Fattahi M, Benedetti L, Foroutan M, Siame L, Bourlès D, Talebian M, Bateman MD, Ghoraishi M (2009) Holocene right-slip rate determined by cosmogenic and OSL dating on the Anar fault, Central Iran. Geophys J Int 179(2):700–710

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li SH (1994) Optical dating: insufficient bleached sediments. Radiat Meas 23:563–567

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lian OB, Roberts RG (2006) Dating the quaternary: progress in luminescence dating of sediments. Quat Sci Rev 25(19–20):2449

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Millard AR (2006) Bayesian analysis of Pleistocene chronometric methods. Archaeometry 48:359–375

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Murray AS, Wintle AG (2000) Luminescence dating of quartz using an improved single-aliquot regenerative-dose protocol. Radiat Meas 32(1):57–73

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nathan RP, Mauz B (2008) On the dose-rate estimate of carbonate-rich sediments for trapped charge dating. Radiat Meas 43:14–25

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nissen E, Walker RT, Molor E, Fattahi M, Bayasgalan A (2009a) Late quaternary rates of uplift and shortening at Baatar Hyarhan (Mongolian Altai) with optically stimulated luminescence. Geophys J Int 177(1):259–278

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nissen E, Walker RT, Bayasgalan A, Carter A, Fattahi M, Molor E, Schnabel C, West AJ, Xu S (2009b) The late Quaternary slip-rate of the Har-Us-Nuur fault (Mongolian Altai) from cosmogenic Be-10 and luminescence dating. Earth Planet Sci Lett 286(3–4):467–478

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Olley J, Caitcheon G, Murray A (1998) The distribution of apparent dose as determined by optically stimulated luminescence in small aliquots of fluvial quartz: implications for dating young sediments. Quat Sci Rev 17(11):1033–1040

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Olley JM, Caitcheon GG, Roberts RG (1999) The origin of dose distributions in fluvial sediments, and the prospect of dating single grains from fluvial deposits using optically stimulated luminescence. Radiat Meas 30(2):207–217

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pietsch TJ, Olley JM, Nanson GC (2008) Fluvial transport as a natural luminescence sensitiser of quartz. Quat Geochronol 3(4):365–376

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Poolton NRJ, Kars RH, Wallinga J, Bos JAA (2009) Direct evidence for the participation of band-tails and excited-state tunnelling in the luminescence of irradiated feldspars. J Phys Condens Matter 21:485505

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Porat N, Zilberman E, Amit R, Enzel Y (2001) Residual ages of modern sediments in an hyperarid region, Israel. Quat Sci Rev 20(5–9):795–798

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Porat N, Amit R, Enzel Y, Zilberman E, Avni Y, Ginat H, Gluck D (2010) Abandonment ages of alluvial landforms in the hyperarid Negev determined by luminescence dating. J Arid Environ 74:861–869

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ramsey CB (2008) Deposition models for chronological records. Quat Sci Rev 27:42–60

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roberts R, Bird M, Olley J, Galbraith R, Lawson E, Laslett G, Yoshida H, Jones R, Fullagar R, Jacobsen G, Hua Q (1998) Optical and radiocarbon dating at Jinmium rock shelter in northern Australia. Nature 393(6683):358–362

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rodnight H, Duller GAT, Wintle AG, Tooth S (2006) Assessing the reproducibility and accuracy of optical dating of fluvial deposits. Quat Geochronol 1:109–120

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sancho C, Pena JL, Rivelli F, Rhodes E, Munoz A (2008) Geomorphological evolution of the Tilcara alluvial fan (Jujuy Province, NW Argentina): Tectonic implications and palaeoenvironmental considerations. J S Am Earth Sci 26(1):68–77

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schlunegger F, Norton K, Steffen D (2012) Timing the interface between mass wasting and fluvial processes with OSL. In: Schneuwly-Bollschweiler M, Stoffel M, Rudolf-Miklau M (eds) Dating torrential processes on fans and cones – methods and their application for hazard and risk assessment, Advances in global change research. Springer, Dordrecht/Heidelberg/London/ New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Schneuwly-Bollschweiler M, Stoffel M (2012) Dendrogeomorphology – tracking past events with tree rings. In: Schneuwly-Bollschweiler M, Stoffel M, Rudolf-Miklau M (eds) Dating torrential processes on fans and cones – methods and their application for hazard and risk assessment, Advances in global change research. Springer, Dordrecht/Heidelberg/London/New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Scott MA, Cook GT, Naysmith P (2007) Error and uncertainty in radiocarbon measurements. Radiocarbon 49:427–440

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Singarayer JS, Bailey RM, Ward S, Stokes S (2005) Assessing the completeness of optical resetting of quartz OSL in the natural environment. Radiat Meas 40(1):13–25

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Singhvi AK, Deraniyagala SU, Singupta D (1986) Thermoluminescence dating of Quaternary red-sand beds: a case study of coastal dunes in Sri Lanka. Earth Planet Sci Lett 80:139–144

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sinha S, Suresh N, Kumar R, Dutta S, Arora BR (2010) Sedimentologic and geomorphic studies on the Quaternary alluvial fan and terrace deposits along the Ganga exit. Quat Int 227:87–103

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spencer JQG, Robinson RAJ (2008) Dating intramontane alluvial deposits from NW Argentina using luminescence techniques: problems and potential. Geomorphology 93(1–2):144–155

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Srivastava P, Bhakuni SS, Luirei K, Misra DK (2009) Morpho-sedimentary records at the Brahmaputra River exit, NE Himalaya: climate-tectonic interplay during the Late Pleistocene-Holocene. J Quat Sci 24(2):175–188

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thomas PJ, Jain M, Juyal N, Singhvi AK (2005) Comparison of single-grain and small-aliquot OSL dose estimates in <3000 years old river sediments from South India. Radiat Meas 39:457–469

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Thrasher IM (2008) Optically stimulated luminescence dating of ice-marginal palaeosandar from the last Irish Sea Ice-Stream. Unpublished PhD thesis, Department of Geography, University of Liverpool, UK

    Google Scholar 

  • Wallinga J (2002) On the detection of OSL age overestimation using single-aliquot techniques. Geochronometria 21:17–26

    Google Scholar 

  • Wintle A (1973) Anomalous fading of thermoluminescence in mineral samples. Nature 245:143–144

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wintle AG, Li SH, Botha GA (1993) Luminescence dating of colluvial deposits from Natal, South-Africa. S Afr J Sci 89(2):77–82

    Google Scholar 

  • Zembo I, Panzeri L, Galli A, Bersezio R, Martini M, Sibilia E (2009) Quaternary evolution of the intermontane Val d’Agri Basin, Southern Apennines. Quat Res 72(3):431–442

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZT, UK

    Andreas Lang

Authors
  1. Andreas Lang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Andreas Lang .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Berne, Laboratory of Dendrogeomorphology, Institute of Geological Sciences, Baltzerstrasse 1+3, Berne, 3012, Bern, Switzerland

    Michelle Schneuwly-Bollschweiler

  2. University of Berne, Laboratory of Dendrogeomorphology, Institute of Geological Sciences, Baltzerstrasse 1+3, Berne, 3012, Bern, Switzerland

    Markus Stoffel

  3. Forestry Environment &Water Management, IV/5 – Torrent & Avalanche Control, Federal Ministry for Agriculture,, Marxergasse 5, Vienna, 1030, Wien, Austria

    Florian Rudolf-Miklau

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Lang, A. (2013). Luminescence Dating of Alluvial Fans and Cones. In: Schneuwly-Bollschweiler, M., Stoffel, M., Rudolf-Miklau, F. (eds) Dating Torrential Processes on Fans and Cones. Advances in Global Change Research, vol 47. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4336-6_18

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation