ESR dating of fossil shells in the Lutzow-Holm Bay Region, East Antarctica

The authors investigate ESR dating of in situ fossil aragonitic shells from the emerged marine sediments in the Lutzow-Holm Bay region. East Antarctica to compare ESR ages with AMS C-14 dates and to discuss late Pleistocene chronology. From the ESR ages, the AMS C-14 ages of late Pleistocene for the samples (33-43 ka) seem to be underestimated and to be much closer to the marine isotope stage (MIS) 4-5 or MIS 6-7 rather than to MIS 3. Our results suggest that further dating studies as well as C-14 dating should be made in the study area by using various techniques. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.