8. Uranium-series dating of peat from central and Northern Europe

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Interstadial and interglacial peat layers are widespread in the Northern Hemisphere and enable us to reconstruct the vegetation history. Uranium-series dating methods can provide a reliable and precise chronological frame for peat of the past 500000 years. Uranium-series dating methods are based on the radioactive disequilibrium between 238U and its radioactive daughter elements and the re-establishment of equilibrium. The activity ratio [ 230Th/ 234U] is a measure of the time elapsed since the formation of the peat. In this study, uranium-series dating of peat in Central and Northern Europe is reviewed including new thermal ionisation mass spectrometry (TIMS) 230Th/U dating results from recently investigated interglacial peat horizons in Central Europe. The suitability of the peat layers for dating depends on two essential assumptions: a closed-system behaviour excluding uranium migration after deposition and the contamination of peat by varying amounts of detrital thorium, which has to be corrected owing to its essential effect on calculating 230Th/U ages. The radiometric and TIMS dating results are in good agreement for certain fen peat layers correlating with MIS 3 and 5, as confirmed by independent age control through radiocarbon and luminescence dating methods. There are only a few approaches dating pre-Eemian peat. Although the radiometric and TIMS dating results are less distinct, more reliable and precise absolute ages can be provided.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationThe climate of past interglacials
EditorsFrank Sirocko, Martin Claussen, Thomas Litt, Maria Fernanda Sanchez-Goni
Number of pages25
Place of PublicationAmsterdam [u.a.]
PublisherElsevier Scientific Publishing
Publication date2007
Pages93-117
ISBN (print)9780444529558 , 0444529551
ISBN (electronic)9780080468068
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2007