Luminescence chronology of Late Pleistocene glacial deposits in North Westland, New Zealand

The chronology of the Late Pleistocene glacial history of North Westland, South Island of New Zealand, is refined by luminescence dating of sediments. It is demonstrated by two case studies that ages determined by different luminescence techniques agree well with the results of radiocarbon dating. Luminescence ages determined for sediments from two key sites of the Loopline Formation confirm the previous correlation of this unit with marine isotope stage (MIS) 4. This indicates that Late Pleistocene glaciers reached their last maximum extent in North Westland during the early part of the Otira (Last) Glaciation. Furthermore, initial dating evidence on coarse alluvial deposits in the lowlands indicates their formation during MIS 5b and MIS 5d. It is probable that these coarse gravel deposits are outwash related to glacial advances. If so, both advances were probably much less extensive than the glaciations during MIS 4 and MIS 2.