651-4901-00L  Quaternary Dating Methods

SemesterHerbstsemester 2016
DozierendeI. Hajdas, S. Ivy Ochs
Periodizitätjährlich wiederkehrende Veranstaltung
LehrspracheEnglisch


KurzbeschreibungReconstruction of time scales is critical for all Quaternary studies in both Geology and Archeology. Various methods are applied depending on the time range of interest and the archive studied. In this lecture we focus on the six methods that are most frequently used for dating Quaternary sediments and landforms.
LernzielStudents will be made familiar with the details of the six dating methods through lectures on basic principles, analysis of case studies, solving of problem sets for age calculation and visits to dating laboratories.

At the end of the course students will:
1. understand the fundamental principles of the most frequently used dating methods for Quaternary studies.
2. be able to calculate an age based on data of the six methods studied.
3. choose which dating method (or combination of methods) is suitable for a certain field problem.
4. critically read and evaluate the application of dating methods in scientific publications.
Inhalt1. Introduction: Time scales for the Quaternary, Isotopes and decay
2. Radiocarbon dating: principles and applications
3. Cosmogenic nuclides: 3He,10Be, 14C, 21Ne, 26Cl, 36Cl
4. U-series disequilibrium dating
5. Luminescence dating
5. K/Ar and Ar/Ar dating of lava flows and ash layers
6. Cs-137 and Pb-210 (soil, sediments, ice core)
7. Summary and comparison of results from several dating methods at specific sites
Voraussetzungen / BesonderesVisit to radiocarbon lab, cosmogenic nuclide lab, noble gas lab, accelerator (AMS) facility.

Required attending the lecture, visiting laboratories, handing back solutions for problem sets (Excercises)