and the ESR ages were between 9 and 3,653 years (not
considering the individual uncertainties of each measurement). Except for one sample (outlier), the ages determined by both methods are consistent within an error
range of approx. 250 years. Considering the small amplitude of the ESR dating signal from such young coral
samples, the good agreement between radiocarbon and
ESR data is astonishing. Nevertheless, U-series dating of
Holocene corals is much more precise than both ESR
and radiocarbon dating.
Summary
Due to methodological advances, which significantly
increase the accuracy of ESR dating of Pleistocene and
Holocene corals, ESR dating has become an efficient tool
in earth sciences for geochronological studies on coral reef
Electron Spin Resonance Dating (ESR), Figure 3. ESR and TIMS U/Th ages (d
234 U >141 and <157%) of MIS 5a-1 coral reef terrace
near Inch Marlowe Point, southern coast of Barbados (slightly modified after Schellmann et al., 2004a).
Electron Spin Resonance Dating (ESR), Figure 2. ESR and TIMS U/Th ages of uplifted Pleistocene coral reef terraces from Southern
Barbados. Details are provided in Schellmann and Radtke (2004a, 2004b).
ELECTRON SPIN RESONANCE DATING (ESR)
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