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

Steven L. Forman    slf@uic.edu (Principal Investigator current)

Abstract    

     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.