Amino acid racemization dating: its application to the Iberian Peninsula
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17735/cyg.v36i3-4.94766Keywords:
amino acids, racemization, 1.3 Ma, palaeobiological remainsAbstract
We present some published results of different amino acid racemization (AAR) dating campaings performed by the Biomolecular Stratigraphy Laboratory of the Madrid School of Mines and Energy (Polythechnical University of Madrid) in many Spanish localities. The aim of this selection is to demonstrate the applicatibility of this method to different types of samples, such as foraminifers, mollusks, crustacean, and mammals from different geological environments: long stratigraphycal records, marine and fluvial terraces, eolian and cave deposits. Obviously, it seems impossible to mention single, or almost single samples of different localities. Near twenty thousand analysis validate this dating method. This method covers a wide time span: from sub-recent to 1.3 million years. The small sample weight necessary for a single analysis allows to replicate it even in highly valuable material from museums or other institutions. It can also be used in forensic determinations. It should be noted that the small amount of sample required to carry out an analysis allows the use of a representative number of samples of each level, being able to discard anomalous values through elementary statistical analysis.
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