Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) Dating in the Amazonian Wetlands

Book excerpt: Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating has proven to be extremely useful for establishing the Late Quaternary chronological framework in many areas of the Brazilian territory. In this region dominated by tropical climate, OSL dating can be more extensively applied than radiocarbon dating due to the generally low potential for the preservation of organic matter in sedimentary samples. This problem is especially critical in areas of the Amazonian lowlands, because of the hot climate and high precipitation rates. The abundance of quartz grains deposited in fluvial and aeolian environments over this region favours OSL dating. More than 20 years of continuous and collaborative work has resulted in the creation of an extensive OSL age database for Late Quaternary sedimentary deposits in the Amazonian lowlands. This effort has contributed to improving the paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic reconstructions of this region within this period. This book discusses the state of art of OSL dating of Late Quaternary deposits in the Amazonian lowlands, focusing on providing an introduction to dating principles using OSL, and defining the application of OSL techniques as a dating method. It also offers a statistical study and calculation of equivalent dose and annual dose rates, details the sampling and experimental apparatus, and considers the difficulties and adaptation techniques in dating Late Quaternary strata in the Amazonian lowlands.