Phololuminescence Studies of Modern & Pleistocene Lacustrineand Near-shore Marine Sediments from Spitsbergen: A Potential New Geochronometer for Arctic Waterlain Sedime

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There is a clear need for the development of a dating technique that can provide reliable chronologic control for sediments deposited in polar marine and lacustrine environments during the late and middle Quaternary. This award supports a series of fundamental investigations to ascertain the utility of the emerging photoluminescence (PL) technique to date waterlain sediments. The energy selective analysis of PL potentially could supply a widely applicable and accurate geochronometer. Specifically, these experiments will test the accuracy and precision of the PL technique to date lacustrine and near-shore marine sediments from Spitsbergen, Svalbard. The sediments chosen for study are either modern or radiocarbon dated sediments from exposures or cores that were deposited during the last ca. 12 thousand years. These sediments are from a variety of aqueous sedimentary environments and the proposed research should provide coherent results to evaluate the promises and limitations of the PL technique. This project represents one element of the PALE (Paleoclimates form Arctic Lakes and Estuaries) activity.