USE OF INFRARED STIMULATED LUMINESCENCE SIGNALS FROM PELLETS OF COMPRESSED LOESS FROM ROCOURT, BELGIUM

A new method for obtaining age-related depositional information has be en developed. Application of the method to closely spaced pellets from five loess cores from Rocourt, Belgium indicates that an overview of the sedimentary pattern can be obtained in a relatively short time. A normalization procedure using ultraviolet (254 nm) radiation to genera te an infra-red stimulated luminescence signal after sunlight bleachin g was developed. Further experiments were carried out on pellets which had been given different gamma doses. As no high energy radiation sou rces are required, this procedure can be used in the field to help des ign a better sampling strategy for luminescence dating.