Radiocarbon and luminescence age estimate database for the Willandra Lakes Region World Heritage Area: a reliability-assurance assessment

IF 1.7 2区地球科学 Q3 GEOGRAPHY, PHYSICAL

Quaternary Geochronology Pub Date : 2025-05-14 DOI:10.1016/j.quageo.2025.101678

Nathan R. Jankowski , Nicola Stern , Elizabeth Foley , Geraldine Jacobsen , Haidee Cadd , Tegan Smith , Willandra Lakes Region Aboriginal Advisory Group

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

The legacy of geochronological data gathered within the Willandra Lakes Region World Heritage Area over more than 60 years has produced a corpus of age estimates that are now of varying reliability as a result of improvements in laboratory, measurement, analytical, and reporting procedures. A database of all known radiocarbon and luminescence age estimates was compiled and the reliability of each age estimate was ranked from A (most reliable) to C (least reliable). A total of 128 of 269 radiocarbon, 138 of 339 optically stimulated luminescence (OSL), and 0 of 53 thermoluminescence ages were given a Rank A score. Using only Rank A OSL age estimates, a Bayesian modelled chronostratigraphic framework for the Lake Mungo lunette was developed for the Lower Mungo (56.2 ± 3.0 to 37.7 ± 1.0 ka), Upper Mungo (36.4 ± 1.1 to 34.1 ± 1.7 ka), Arumpo (25.1 ± 0.6 to 18.2 ± 0.5 ka), and Zanci (18.2 ± 0.5 to 17.2 ± 0.7 ka) Units. Three lacustrine phases were identified using Rank A radiocarbon ages on otoliths and mussel shell: system-wide high water ∼55–35 ka cal BP (continuing in the north until ∼30 ka cal BP); a short pulse reaching to Lake Outer Arumpo ∼29–24 ka cal BP; and a final saline phase at Lake Mungo ∼21–17 ka cal BP, whilst freshwater conditions were maintained throughout this period at Lake Mulurulu. Only 62 of 143 radiocarbon ages associated directly with archaeological features were given a Rank A score and because they are derived from a restricted range of site types, some with restricted temporal distributions, they are not a reliable basis for documenting the history of land use and occupancy. Continued research is needed to increase the number of reliable age estimates from depositional, palaeohydrological, and archaeological contexts in different landforms to produce a clearer understanding of both palaeoenvironmental change, and the history of land use and occupancy of this enduring cultural landscape.

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威兰德拉湖区世界遗产区的放射性碳和发光年龄估算数据库：可靠性保证评估

60多年来，在威兰德拉湖区世界遗产区内收集的地质年代学数据产生了一个年龄估计语料库，由于实验室、测量、分析和报告程序的改进，这些数据现在具有不同的可靠性。一个包含所有已知放射性碳和发光年龄估计的数据库被编译，每个年龄估计的可靠性从A（最可靠）到C（最不可靠）排序。269个放射性碳年龄中有128个，339个光激发发光年龄中有138个，53个热释光年龄中有0个达到A级。仅使用Rank A OSL年龄估计，建立了Mungo湖lunette的下Mungo（56.2±3.0 ~ 37.7±1.0 ka）、上Mungo（36.4±1.1 ~ 34.1±1.7 ka）、Arumpo（25.1±0.6 ~ 18.2±0.5 ka）和Zanci（18.2±0.5 ~ 17.2±0.7 ka）单元的Bayesian模拟年代地层格架。利用耳石和贻贝壳的A级放射性碳年龄确定了三个湖相：全系统高水位~ 55-35 ka cal BP（在北部持续到~ 30 ka cal BP）；短脉冲到达外阿仑坡湖~ 29-24 ka cal BP；在蒙哥湖（Lake Mungo）约21-17 ka cal BP为最终的咸水阶段，而在穆鲁鲁鲁湖（Lake Mulurulu）这一时期一直保持着淡水条件。在143个与考古特征直接相关的放射性碳年龄中，只有62个被评为a级，因为它们来自有限范围的遗址类型，其中一些具有有限的时间分布，它们不是记录土地使用和占用历史的可靠基础。需要继续开展研究，从不同地貌的沉积、古水文和考古背景中增加可靠的年龄估计，以更清楚地了解古环境变化以及这一持久文化景观的土地利用和占用历史。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Quaternary Geochronology 地学-地球化学与地球物理

CiteScore

4.40

自引率

22.20%

发文量

130

审稿时长

20 weeks

期刊介绍： Quaternary Geochronology is an international journal devoted to the publication of the highest-quality, peer-reviewed articles on all aspects of dating methods applicable to the Quaternary Period - the last 2.6 million years of Earth history. Reliable ages are fundamental to place changes in climates, landscapes, flora and fauna - including the evolution and ecological impact of humans - in their correct temporal sequence, and to understand the tempo and mode of geological and biological processes.