ESR dating of quartz from quaternary sediments: First attempt

International audienceWind-blown sand from Arago cave at Tautavel and beach sand from Terra Amata at Nice are studied for the dating by a quartz large grain technique using electron spin resonance (ESR). The signal intensity of AI center increased with artificial y-ray dose, and total equivalent doses of 2030 + 109 Gy and 1795 + 103 Gy are obtained for Arago and Terra Amata samples respectively. A preliminary UV experiment shows that the AI center signal initially decreased under UV irradiation but approached a residual strength. 'Zero age" quartz samples taken from present beach sand near Terra Amata show a signal intensity corresponding to 18% of the saturated intensity of Terra Amata sample (this same proportion is 30% for the 'zero age' Arago samples). After the subtraction of this residual strength, paleodoses of 1010 + 149 Gy and 750 + 147 Gy and ages of 430 + 85 kyr and 380 4-80 kyr are deduced for Arago cave and Terra Amata, respectively. These ages are in good agreement with those estimated from the faunal studies of these sites