Developing a 150ka luminescence chronology for the barrier dunes of the southern Cape, South Africa

The southern coastline of South Africa exhibits extensive aeolianites and spectacular barrier dunes; the ages and palaeoenvironmental significance of which have, until recently, received limited attention. We present preliminary results for samples taken from a single 6.5m section in the seaward barrier dune near to the town of Wilderness. The reliability of these ages has been investigated using a series of dose recovery and pulsed irradiation experiments, as well as through analyses of single aliquot and single grain De distributions. Results indicate that the SAR protocol is providing accurate and precise De determinations and that adequate sensitivity correction is being made. The application of pulsed irradiations does not result in significant changes in the dose–response curves or averaged De's. Single grain De distributions are broad, with significant levels of overdispersion, which may reflect beta dose heterogeneity effects.