ESR dating of fossil shells in the Lützow-Holm Bay region, East Antarctica

Abstract

The authors investigate ESR dating of in situ fossil aragonitic shells from the emerged marine sediments in the Lützow-Holm Bay region, East Antarctica to compare ESR ages with AMS 14C dates and to discuss late Pleistocene chronology. From the ESR ages, the AMS 14C ages of late Pleistocene for the samples (33–43 ka) seem to be underestimated and to be much closer to the marine isotope stage (MIS) 4–5 or MIS 6–7 rather than to MIS 3. Our results suggest that further dating studies as well as 14C dating should be made in the study area by using various techniques.