Evaluation of ESR residual dose in quartz modern samples, an investigation on environmental dependence

The results show that the residual doses are small enough to allow an ESR dating of the main part of the sediment transported in almost all the context examined in this study. The smallest residual doses are obtained from quartz grains within the range of 100-200 μm and transported in clear water. Some limits for the application of optically bleached quartz ESR dating appears nevertheless, mainly when the residual dose and the dose accumulated after the deposit are quite similar, i.e. for Upper Pleistocene samples.