METHODOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF THERMOLUMINESCENCE DATING OF LATE-GLACIAL AND HOLOCENE DUNE SANDS FROM BRANDENBURG, GERMANY

Several profiles of Late Glacial-Holocene dune sands in the glacial outwash plains of Brandenburg were sampled to systematically investigate and compare thermoluminescence ages from the 90-200 mu m quartz and K-feldspar fractions. An ultraviolet peak in the emission spectrum of the Honle SOL2 sunlamp, which is not normally abundant in natural sunlight after passing through the atmosphere, is thought to be responsible for a stronger phototransfer of charges in quartz compared with daylight bleaching. To eliminate these errors as far as possible, a two day bleaching under natural sunlight is suggested.