LUMINESCENCE DATING (IRSL TL) OF LATEGLACIAL AND HOLOCENE DUNE SANDS AND SANDY LOESSES NEAR BONN, GIFHORN AND DIEPHOLZ (GERMANY)/

Three sections in northern Germany were investigated using the IRSL an d TL dating methods. The data presented are the first results of a lon g term project, which has the aim of examining the chronometric genesi s of dunes in selected parts of Europe. The main focus of this researc h is the chronometric subdivision of the rime span from Late Weichseli an up to today into phases with different aeolian activity. A phase of high sedimentation of valley side loesses in the Rhine area near Bonn took place between 11,170 and 12,150 BP. The dares of the two dune se ctions from northern Germany indicate that, in contrast to a common mo del of aeolian activity, the accumulation of dune sands continued duri ng the Boreal and Atlantic. Furthermore, the time span in which human impact caused the remobilization of the dunes could be clearly indicat ed. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.