During the Quaternary Period, the last 2.6 million years of Earth's history, changes in environments and climate shaped human evolution. In particular, large-scale features of atmospheric circulation patterns varied significantly due to the dramatic changes in global boundary conditions which accompanied abrupt changes in climate. Reconstructing these environmental changes relies heavily on precise and accurate chronologies. Radiocarbon dating continues to play a vital role in providing chronological control over the last 50,000 years, but advances in recent years on a range of other geochronological techniques that are applicable to the Quaternary have made available a much wider diversity of methods. In this session, contributions are particularly welcome that aim to (1) reduce, quantify and express dating uncertainties in any dating method, including high-resolution radiocarbon approaches, (2) use established geochronological methods to answer new questions, (3) use new methods to address longstanding issues, or (4) combine different chronometric techniques for improved results, including the analysis of chronological data sets with novel methods, such as Bayesian age-depth modelling. Applications may aim to understand long term landscape evolution, quantify rates of geomorphological processes, or provide chronologies for records of climate change.
We are happy to announce that Geoff Duller and Derek Fabel have agreed to deliver a keynote and present an overview of the BRITICE-CHRONO results – a major multi methods dating enterprise to establish the timing of the British-Irish Ice-Sheet retreat form its Last Glacial Maximum.