Luminescence dating of Upper Pleistocene loess from the Island of Susak in Croatia

• Published in: Quaternary international 2011-04, Vol.234 (1), p.50-61
• Main Authors: Wacha, Lara, Mikulčić Pavlaković, Snježana, Novothny, Ágnes, Crnjaković, Marta, Frechen, Manfred
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: charcoal; climate change; cold; isotopes; loess; luminescence; paleosolic soil types; quaternary deposits; radiocarbon dating; rivers; sand; soil formation; tephra; volcanic activity
• ISSN: 1040-6182; 1873-4553
• DOI: 10.1016/j.quaint.2009.12.017

The loess-paleosol sequence on the island of Susak is a detailed Late Pleistocene archive of climate change in the North Adriatic Sea of Croatia. Quaternary deposits on Susak are up to 90 m thick and consist of loess, loess derivatives and sand, intercalated by numerous paleosols and at least three tephra layers. Infrared stimulated luminescence (IRSL) dating was carried out on polymineral fine-grained material. Thirteen samples were collected from two sections on Susak to study the timing of loess accumulation and soil formation. The single aliquot regenerative (SAR) protocol, as well as the multiple aliquot additive-dose (MAAD) protocol, were applied for equivalent dose ( D e) determination. The IRSL ages were fading corrected. Independent age control is provided by radiocarbon dating of charcoal remains. The results show that loess and loess derivatives from the investigated sections represent a very detailed record correlating to the Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3, with short periods of stronger sand deposition and occasional volcanic activity. The extraordinary thickness of the deposits is very likely related to the vicinity of the River Po plain which extended to the southeast due to marine regressions of the Adriatic Sea during the cold periods of the Pleistocene.