Abstract
A weathered deposit in South China is widespread on the coastal areas of Fujian and Guangdong provinces, China. This deposit consists of slightly cemented, medium-to fine-grained sands, and is characterized by its colors of red, brown red, light reddish brown or dark yellowish orange, and is usually called “Old Red Sand”. The uncertainty in its formation age has been a major obstacle to the study of this type of deposit. In this paper, optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) techniques were used to date the “Old Red Sand” sediments from Jinjiang, Fujian Province, China. The effect of the geochemical behavior of uranium and thorium in sediment during chemical weathering on estimation of annual dose was investigated. The results show that the change in annual dose due to weathering poses a major problem for the optical dating of such weathered sediments. The optical dating of these weathered deposits will produce erroneous ages if average annual dose during burial cannot be correctly estimated. For the profiles studied, the OSL dates obtained on samples from the upper part do not represent the burial age of the samples. It is highly likely that they are underestimated due mainly to the accumulated radioactive elements as a result of chemical weathering. It is concluded that changes in annual dose due to chemical weathering must be considered when dating similar sediments in South China. With a detailed analysis of the OSL dating results, the chronology of the marine terraces in this area was suggested. The lowest terrace was formed at ∼3.5 ka and the second terrace was dated to ∼74 ka. The age of the highest terrace may not be established accurately, but is inferred to be older than the apparent OSL date of ∼77 ka and so is the Paleolithic artifacts from it.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Explore related subjects
Discover the latest articles, news and stories from top researchers in related subjects.Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Wu Z, Wang W. Formation of “Old Red Sand” and paleogeographic environment on South China coasts. Sci China Ser D-Earth Sci, 1998, 41(3): 306–313
Chen J C, Zeng C S, Wu Y G. Distribution and sedimentary landform of “Old Red Sands” in coastal southeastern Fujian. J Oceanogr Taiwan Strait (in Chinese), 1998, 17(1): 50–54
Jin Z M, Liao B L, Wu Z. Research on laterization of the “Old Red Sand” along the coasts of South China, Chin Sci Bull, 1994, 39(12):1122–1124
Wu Z, Huang S, Jin Z M, et al. Research on the formation and laterization of the “Old Sandy Sediment” along the coast of South China. Acta Geogr Sin (in Chinese), 1994, 49(4): 298–305
Zeng C S, Chen J C, Wu Y G. A summary of “Old Red Sand” research in coastal southeast China. J Oceanogr Taiwan Strait (in Chinese), 1997, 16(3): 367–370
Zeng C S, Chen J C, Wu Y G. The “Old Red Sand” along the coastal area of southeast Fujian and environmental evolution during Late Quaternary. J Des Res (in Chinese), 1999, 19(2): 110–114
Zeng C S, Chen J C, Wu Y G. Sedimentary stratum and forming age of the “Old Red Sand” along the coast of southeastern Fujian. J Des Res (in Chinese), 1999, 19(4): 338–342
Wu Z, Wang W, Tan H Z, et al. The age of the “old red sand” on the coasts of south Fujian and west Guangdong, China. Chin Sci Bull, 2000, 45(13): 1216–1221
Tan H Z, Wu Z. TL dating of the “Old Red Sand” on the coasts of Fujian and Guangdong. J Des Res (in Chinese), 2001, 21(4): 393–396
Huntley D J, Godfrey-Smith D I and Thewalt M L W. Optical Dating of sediments. Nature, 1985, 313: 105–107
Wintle A G and Huntley D J. Thermoluminescence dating of a deep-sea sediment core. Nature, 1979, 279: 710–712
Aitken M J. An Introduction to Optical Dating: The Dating of Quaternary Sediments by the Use of Photon-stimulated Luminescence. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998
Godfrey-Smith D I, Huntly D J and Chen W H. Optical dating studies of quartz and feldspar sediment extracts. Quat Sci Rev, 1988, 7:373–380
Prescott J R and Robertson G B. Sediment dating by luminescence: a review. Rad Meas, 1997, 27: 893–922
Wintle A G and Murray A S. A review of quartz optically stimulated luminescence characteristics and their relevance in single-aliquot regeneration dating protocols. Rad Meas, 2006, 41: 369–391
Murray A S, Olley J M. Precision and accuracy in the optically stimulated luminescence dating of sedimentary quartz: a status review. Geochronometria, 2002, 21: 1–16
Ballarini M, Wallinga J, Murray A S, et al. Optical dating of young coastal dunes on a decadal time scale. Quat Sci Rev, 2003, 22:1011–1017
Murray A S, Funder S. Optically stimulated luminescence dating of a Danish Eemian coastal marine deposit: A test of accuracy. Quat Sci Rev, 2003, 22: 1177–1183
Zhang H N, Yao Q Y, Zhao X T. Formation and age of “Old Red Sand” in the coastal areas of south Fujian and east Guangdong, Mar Geol Quat Geol (in Chinese), 1985, 5(1): 47–57
Wu Z, Wang W. Finding and its significance of “Old Red Sand” strata with multiple depositional stages on the coasts of Fujian and Guangdong. J Des Res (in Chinese), 2001, 21(4): 328–332
Xu Q H. Discovery of ancient submerged forest in Shenhuwan Bay, Fujian Province, China. Chin Sci Bull, 1987, 32(21): 1650–1653
Xu Q H, Feng Y J, Shi J S. Crustal movement in Shenhuwan Bay area, Fujian Province since the middle stage of late pleistocene. Seismol Geol (in Chinese), 2002, 24(1): 111–123
Kim S W. A study on the terraces along the Southeastern coast (Bang-eojin-Pohang) of the Korean peninsula. J Geol Soc Korea, 1973, 9: 89–121
Kim J Y, Lee D Y, Choi S G. A research on Pleistocene stratigraphy. Korean J Quat Res, 1998, 4: 41–57
Prescott J R, Hutton J T. Cosmic ray contributions to dose rates for luminescence and ESR dating: large depths and long-term time variations. Rad Meas, 1994, 23: 497–500
Murray A S, Wintle A G. Luminescence dating of quartz using an improved single-aliquot regenerative-dose protocol. Rad Meas, 2000, 32: 57–73
Bateman M D, Holmes P J, Carr A S, et al. Aeolianite and barrier dune construction spanning the last two glacial-interglacial cycles from the southern Cape coast, South Africa. Quat Sci Rev, 2004, 23:1681–1698
Gibbertson D D, Schweinninger J L, Kemp R A, et al. Sand-drift and soil formation along an exposed north Atlantic coastline: 14,000 years of diverse sedimentological, climatic and human impacts. J Archaeol Sci, 1999, 26: 439–469
Murray A S and Clemmensen L B. Luminescence dating of Holocene aeolian sand movement, Thy, Denmark. Quat Sci Rev, 2001, 20:751–754
Duller G A T, and Augustinus P C. Reassessment of the record of linear dune activity in Tasmania using optical dating. Quat Sci Rev 2006, 25: 2608–2618
Stokes S, Thomas D S G and Washington R. Multiple episodes of aridity in southern Africa since the last interglacial period. Nature, 1997, 388: 154–158
Faure G. Principles and Applications of Inorganic Geochemistry. New York: Macmillan Publ. Co. 1991. 1–626
Chesworth W. Weathering systems: In: Martini I P, Chesworth W. eds. Weathering, Soils, and Paleosols. New York: Elsevier, 1992. 19–40
Michel J. Redistribution of uranium and thorium series isotopes during isovolumetric weathering of granite. Geoch Cosm Acta, 1984, 48:1249–1255
Guthrie V A and Kleeman J D. Changing uranium distributions during weathering of granite. Chem Geol, 1986, 54: 113–126
Gueniot B, Munier-Lamy C and Berthelin J. Geochemical behavior of uranium in soils, part I. Distribution of uranium in hydromorphic soils and soil sequences. Applications for surficial prospecting. J Geoch Expl, 1988, 31: 21–37
Gueniot B, Munier-Lamy C and Berthelin J. Geochemical behavior of uranium in soils, part II. Distribution of uranium in hydromorphic soils and soil sequences. Applications for surficial prospecting. J Geoch Expl, 1988, 31: 39–55
McAlister J J, Cooney G and Higgins M J. Accumulation of uranium in granitic soils overlying the Mourne Mountains, County Down, northern Ireland. Microchem J, 1997, 56: 315–326
Echevarria G, Sheppard M I, Morel J L. Effect of pH on the sorption of uranium in soils. J Environ Rad, 2001, 53: 257–264
Aubert D, Probst A, Stille P. Distribution and origin of major and trace elements (particularly REE, U and Th) into labile and residual phases in an acid soil profile (Vosges Mountains, France). Applied Geochem, 2004, 19: 899–916
Mibus J, Sachs S, Pfingsten W, Nebelung C, et al. Migration of uranium (IV)/(VI) in the presence of humic acids in quartz sand: A laboratory column study. J Cont Hydro, 2007, 89: 199–217
Peuraniemi V and Aario R. Hydromorphic dispersion of uranium in a surficial environment in northern Finland. J Geoch Expl, 1991, 41:197–212
Taboada T, Cortizas A M and Garcia C et al. Uranium and thorium in weathering and pedogenetic profiles developed on granitic rocks from NW Spain. Sci Total Environ, 2006, 356: 192–206
Takeda A, Tsukada H and Takaku Y, et al. Accumulation of uranium derived from long-term fertilizer applications in a cultivated Andisol. Sci Total Environ, 2006, 367: 924–931
Osmond J K and Ivanovich M. Uranium-series mobilization and surface hydrology. In: Ivanovich M and Harmon R S, eds. Uranium-series Disequilibrium. 2nd ed. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1992. 260–289
Gu Z Y, Lal D and Liu T S. Weathering histories of Chinese loess deposits based on uranium and thorium series nuclides and cosmogenic 10Be. Geoch Cosm Acta, 1997, 61: 5221–5231
Zhang J F, Zhou L P and Yue S Y. Dating fluvial sediments by optically stimulated luminescence: selection of equivalent doses for age calculation. Quat Sci Rev, 2003, 22: 1123–1129
Pei S W, Zhang J F, Gao X, et al.. Optical dating of the Jingshuiwan Paleolithic site of Three Gorges, China. Chin Sci Bull, 2006, 51(11):1334–1342
Choi J H, Murray A S, Jain M, et al. Luminescence dating of well-sorted marine terrace sediments on the southeastern coast of Korea. Quat Sci Rev, 2003, 22: 407–421
Choi J H, Murray A S, Cheong C S, et al. The resolution of stratigraphic inconsistency in the luminescence ages of marine terrace sediments from Korea. Quat Sci Rev, 2003, 22: 1201–1206
Aitken M J. Thermoluminescence Dating. London: Academic Press, 1985
Jeong GY, Cheong C S and Choi J H. The effect of weathering on optically stimulated luminescence dating. Quat Geochronol, 2007, 2:117–122
Chabaux F, Dequincey O, Leveque J J, et al. Tracing and dating recent chemical transfers in weathering profiles by trace-element geochemistry and 238U-234U-230Th disequilibria: the example of the Kaya lateritic toposequence (Burkina-Faso). Comp Rend Geosci, 2003, 335:1219–1231
Zhao H and Li S H. Luminescence isochron dating: a new approach using different grain sizes. Rad Prot Dos, 2002, 101: 333–338
Zhang J F. Development and application of luminescence dating to Quaternary sediments from China. Dissertation for the Doctoral Degree. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University, 2000
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 40471010 and 49925307)
About this article
Cite this article
Zhang, J., Yuan, B. & Zhou, L. Luminescence chronology of “Old Red Sand” in Jinjiang and its implications for optical dating of sediments in South China. Chin. Sci. Bull. 53, 591–601 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11434-008-0001-6
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11434-008-0001-6