Analysis of equivalent-dose distributions for single grains of quartz from modern deposits

Abstract

Two modern coastal sands are studied through single-grain optical dating techniques. The first sample is estimated to be less than 10 y old by means of independent age control and is known to be well-bleached on the basis of preliminary single-aliquot studies. The second sample is less than 1 y old, but an age of 73±24 years had been determined through single-aliquot analysis. For both samples we compare equivalent doses obtained from single-grain analysis to those obtained by means of similar single-aliquot methods. We found that results are comparable although equivalent doses determined through single-aliquot methods are more precise. The reason for this may be ascribed to the limited number of grains on which single-grain measurements were carried out. The presence of poorly bleached grains within a sample could be identified by dose distribution analysis of individual grains.