The timing and relation of aeolian sand deposition in central Spain to theaeolian sand record of NW Europe

Presented here are TL and OSL age determinations on aeolian sediments from four sites around the Guadarrama mountains in Central Spain. These show aeo lian activity between 8 +/- 1 and 13 +/- 1 ka. The new data when combined w ith previously published luminescence data shows an inferred phase of aeoli an activity in Central Spain ca. 10-13 ka. This is compared to a dataset of luminescence ages from the NW European aeolian record which shows a simila rly timed peak. The abrupt climate changes associated with the Younger Drya s occurred during this time and are thought to have caused aeolian activity in NW Europe. The correlation between the two aeolian records presented he re is tentatively suggested to indicate that the Younger Dryas may also be the causal mechanism for intensified aeolian activity in Central Spain. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.