Abstract
The 'Old Red Sand' is a type of semicemented medium-fine sandy sediment that is red (10R4/8) or brown red (2.5YR4/8) in colour and is found in late Quaternary deposits. The sediments have distinctive characteristics and are a critical archive for understanding climatic changes in the coastal areas of East Asia. The ages of the late Quaternary aeolian sand dunes from Haitan Island in the coastal area of South China are still in debate. In this study, three sets of marine terraces were identified in the northern region of Haitan Island. Aeolian dune sands are well preserved on the top of these terraces. Quartz Optically Stimulated Luminescence dating and the distribution of the formation ages demonstrated that the palaeo-dunes are deposits from the middle-late period of the Late Pleistocene (Q 2-33 ). The period may be divided into three stages, 100–90 ka, 70–60 ka, and 40–20 ka, in which the palaeo-dunes of the first two stages are more widespread and were formed separately during a low-sea level period of the Marine Isotope Stages 5b and 4. Several depositional palaeo-flood event records were preserved during the last stage due to the increasing gradient of mountain gullies formed during the Last Glacial Maximum.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alappat L, Joseph S, Tsukamoto S, et al. (2017) Chronology and weathering history of red dunes (Teri Sands) in the southwest coast of Tamil Nadu, India. Zeitschrift der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Geowissenschaften 168 (1): 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1127/zdgg/2016/0055
Alappat L, Seralathan P, Shukla A, et al. (2013) Chronology of red dune aggradations of South India and its Palaeo-environmental significance. Geochronometria 40 (4): 274–282. https://doi.org/10.2478/s13386-013-0118-5
Aubert D, Probst A, Stille P (2004) Distribution and origin of major and trace elements (particularly REE, U and Th) into labile and residual phases in an acid soil profile (Vosges Mountains, France). Applied Geochemistry 19 (6): 899–916. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2003.11.005
Blumer BE, Arbogast AF, Forman SL (2012) The OSL chronology of eolian sand deposition in a perched dune field along the northwestern shore of Lower Michigan. Quaternary Research 77 (3): 445–455. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yqres.2012.01.006
BØtter-Jensen L, Andersen C, Duller G, et al. (2003) Developments in radiation, stimulation and observation facilities in luminescence measurements. Radiation Measurements 37 (4): 535–541. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1350-4487(03)00020-9
Carr AS,Thomas DSG, Bateman MD (2006) Climatic and sea level controls on Late Quaternary eolian activity on the Agulhas Plain, South Africa. Quaternary Research 65 (2): 252–263. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yqres.2005.10.001
Chen G, Zheng H, Li J, et al. (2008) Dynamic control on grain-size distribution of terrigenous sediments in the western South China Sea: Implication for East Asian monsoon evolution. Chinese Science Bulletin 53 (10): 1533–1543. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11434-008-0078-y
Choi JH, Kim JW, Murray AS, et al. (2009) OSL dating of marine terrace sediments on the southeastern coast of Korea with implications for Quaternary tectonics. Quaternary International 199 (1-2): 3–14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2008.07.009
Duller GAT (2003) Distinguishing quartz and feldspar in single grain luminescence measurements. Radiation Measurements 37 (2): 161–165. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1350-4487(02)00170-1
Dung T (2013) Research of marine terrace on the both sides of northern Taiwan Straits. Journal of Subtropical Resource and Environment 8 (2): 1–12. https://doi.org/10.19687/j.cnki.1673-7105.2013.02.001
Hu F, Li Z, ** J, et al. (2013) East Asian Winter Monsoon record from the environmental sensitive grain size component of QF Old Red Sand, Haitan Island, China. Science in Cold and Arid regions 5 (5): 220–229. https://doi.org/10.3724/SP.J.1226.2013.00220
Hu G, Yu L, Dong Z, et al. (2017) Holocene aeolian activity in the Headwater Region of the Yellow River, Northeast Tibet Plateau, China: A first approach by using OSL-dating. Catena 149: 150–157. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2016.09.014
** J, Li Z, Huang Y, et al. (2017a) Chronology of a late Neolithic Age site near the southern coastal region of Fujian, China. The Holocene 27 (9): 1265–1272. https://doi.org/10.1177/0959683616687383
** J, Li Z, Jiang F, et al. (2016) Coastal environment of the past millennium recorded by a coastal dune in Fujian, China. Journal of Arid Land 8 (5): 707–721. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40333-016-0053-4
** J, Li Z, Lei G, et al. (2017b) Chronology and Environmental Significance of Old Red Sand in South China: Take the Old Red Sand in Qingfeng, Fujian as An Example. Scientia Geographica Sinica 37 (2): 301–310. https://doi.org/10.13249/j.cnki.sgs.2017.02.017
Lai H, Li Z, ** J, et al. (2016) Unravelling the seaimentary structure of coastal alluvial fan and its origin in the northern Haitan Island, Fujian, using ground penetrating radar. Acta Sedimentologica Sinica 34 (4): 645–652. https://doi.org/10.14027/j.cnki.cjxb.2016.04.004
Lai H, Li Z, ** J, et al. (2017) Sedimentary structure and develo** model of coastal alluvial fan along the northern coast of Haitan Island, Fujian. Acta Geologica Sinica 91 (8): 1878–1893. https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.0001-5717.2017.08.015
Lai Z (2006) Testing the use of an OSL standardised growth curve (SGC) for determination on quartz from the Chinese Loess Plateau. Radiation Measurements 41 (1): 9–16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radmeas.2005.06.031
Lai Z, Brückner H, Fülling A, Zöller L (2008) Effects of thermal treatment on the growth curve shape for OSL of quartz extracted from Chinese loess. Radiation Measurements 43 (2-6): 763–766. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radmeas.2008.01.023
Lambeck K (2002) Sea level change from mid Holocene to Recent time: An Australian example with global implications. American Geophysical Union. 29:33–50. https://doi.org/10.1029/GD029p0033
Lambeck K, Esat TM, Potter EK. (2002) Links between climate and sea levels for the past three million years. Nature, 419 (6903): 199–206. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature01089
Long H, Shen J (2014) Underestimated 14C-based chronology of late Pleistocene high lake-level events over the Tibetan Plateau and adjacent areas: Evidence from the Qaidam Basin and Tengger Desert. Science China Earth Sciences 58 (2): 183–194. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-014-4993-2
Murray AS, Wintle AG (2000) Luminescence dating of quartz using an improved single-aliquot regenerative-dose protocol. Radiation Measurements 32 (1): 57–73. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1350-4487(99)00253-X
Murray AS, Wintle AG (2003) The single aliquot regenerative dose protocol: potential for improvements in reliability. Radiation Measurements 37 (4-5): 377–381. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1350-4487(03)00053-2
Nian X, Chen F, Li F, et al. (2015) Optical dating of a Paleolithic site near the eastern coastal region of Shandong, northern China. Quaternary Geochronology 30: 466–471. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quageo.2015.02.009
Peuraniemi V, Aario R (1991) Hydromorphic dispersion of uranium in a surficial environment in northern Finland. Journal of Geochemical Exploration 41 (1-2): 197–212. https://doi.org/10.1016/0375-6742(91)90084-8
Pichevin L, Cremer M, Giraudeau J, et al. (2005) A 190 ky record of lithogenic grain-size on the Namibian slope: Forging a tight link between past wind-strength and coastal upwelling dynamics. Marine Geology, 218 (1-4): 81–96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.margeo.2005.04.003
Prescott JR, Hutton JT (1994) Cosmic ray contributions to dose rates for luminescence and ESR dating: Large depths and longterm time variations. Radiation Measurements 23 (2-3): 497–500. https://doi.org/10.1016/1350-4487(94)90086-8
Roberts DL, Bateman MD, Murray-Wallace CV, et al. (2009) West coast dune plumes: Climate driven contrasts in dunefield morphogenesis along the western and southern South African coasts. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 271 (1-2): 24–38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2008.09.009
Roberts NL, Piotrowski AM, Mcmanus JF, et al. (2010) Synchronous deglacial overturning and water mass source changes. Science 327 (5961): 75–8. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1178068
Tan H, Wu Z (2001) TL dating of the old red sand on the coasts of Fujian and Guangdong. Journal of desert research 21 (4): 393–396. https://doi.org/10.3321/j.issn:1000-694X.2001.04.013
Telfer MW, Thomas ZA, Breman E (2012) Sand ramps in the Golden Gate Highlands National Park, South Africa: Evidence of periglacial aeolian activity during the last glacial. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 313-314: 59–69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2011.10.008
Wang S, Yang J, Zeng C, et al. (1994) Sea levle changes since Late Pleistocene along Fujian coast. Journal of Oceangraphy in Taiwan Strait 13 (2): 166–175.
Wen X, Li B, Meng J, et al. (2015) Grain size characteristics of coastal aeolian sediments in the **tan Island of Fujian,China, and their implications for the paleo-environment from 150 ka BPto 20 ka BP. Journal of Desert Research 35 (6): 1473–1482.
Wintle AG, Murray AS (2006) A review of quartz optically stimulated luminescence characteristics and their relevance in single-aliquot regeneration dating protocols. Radiation Measurements 41 (4): 369–391. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radmeas.2005.11.001
Wu Z, Wang W, Tan H, et al. (2000) The age of the old red sand on the coasts of south Fujian and west Guangdong, China. Science Bulletin 45 (13): 1216–1221. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02886083
Xu Z, Mason JA, Lu H, et al. (2017) Crescentic dune migration and stabilization: Implications for interpreting paleo-dune deposits as paleoenvironmental records. Journal of Geographical Sciences 27 (11): 1341–1358. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11442-017-1439-8
Yi S, Buylaert JP, Murray AS, et al. (2016) A detailed post-IR IRSL dating study of the Niuyangzigou loess site in northeastern China. Boreas 45 (4): 644–657. https://doi.org/10.1111/bor.12185
Zeng C (1991) Sea level variation along Fujian coast in Holocene. Journal of Oceanography in Taiwan Strait 10 (1): 77–84.
Zhang J, Yuan B, Zhou L (2008) Luminescence chronology of “Old Red Sand” in **jiang and its implications for optical dating of sediments in South China. Chinese Science Bulletin 53 (4): 591–601. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11434-008-0001-6
Zheng Z, Huang K, Deng Y, et al. (2013) A ~200 ka pollen record from Okinawa Trough: Paleoenvironment reconstruction of glacial-interglacial cycles. Science China Earth Sciences 56 (10): 1731–1747. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-013-4619-0
Acknowledgements
This work is funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grants Nos. 41301012, 41771020 and U1405231), Natural Science Foundation of Fujian (Grant No. 2018R1034-5) and Innovation Research Team Fund of Fujian Normal University (Grant No. IRTL1705)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding authors
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
**, Jh., Li, Zz., Cheng, Y. et al. Late Pleistocene aeolian activity in Haitan Island, Southeast China: Insights from optically stimulated luminescence dating of coastal dunes on marine terraces. J. Mt. Sci. 15, 1777–1788 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-018-4890-9
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-018-4890-9