United States Quaternary coastal sequences and molluscan racemization geochronology - What have they meant for each other over the past 45 years?

► 40+ years of amino acid racemization (AAR) studies from U.S. coastal sites are reviewed. ► Examples of D/L values increasing with known relative age are seen on both coasts. ► For samples of equal age, D/L values increase with temperature at sites on both coasts. ► U-Th results for Pacific coast sites provide rigorous calibration for MIS 5 Pacific coast results. ► Relation between AAR and U-Th results for Atlantic coast sites are more ambiguous than for Pacific coast sites.