AEOLIAN STRATIGRAPHY AND THERMOLUMINESCENCE DATING OF SEDIMENTS OF LATE HOLOCENE AGE FROM SOLA, SOUTHWEST NORWAY

Thermoluminescence age determinations were performed on four aeolian s and samples of late Holocene sediments from Stavanger airport, Sola, i n southwest Norway. The locality is well suited for testing thermolumi nescence dating because of a good agreement between radiocarbon ages a nd age information based on archaeological typology and sea level chan ges. The conclusion from a comparison of thermoluminescence and radioc arbon dates is that it is possible to date well bleached sediments as young as 1600 years with thermoluminescence (TL). The TL dates for the aeolian deposits are in accord with expected ages. Six formal, diachr onous aeolian/non-aeolian phases are defined and grouped together as t he Sola Episode. The first phase of aeolian activity was short-lasting and took place in the middle Subboreal chronozone. A second and long- lasting period, dominated by aeolian activity, took place from the tra nsition between the Subboreal and Subatlantic chronozones until the pr esent. We conclude that human activities were the releasing factor for the aeolian activity recorded in sand sheets.