Luminescence dating and thermochronometry for Earth science applications in Aotearoa New Zealand: opportunities and potential

Aotearoa New Zealand’s dynamic geological landscape, shaped by complex tectonic activity, rapid uplift, and diverse climatic conditions, provides an exceptionally valuable environment for the application of trapped-charge methods across multiple Earth science disciplines. While significant trapped-charge research has already been conducted in New Zealand, substantial opportunities remain to expand this work. Techniques such as optically and infrared stimulated luminescence (OSL and IRSL) and electron spin resonance (ESR), employed for sediment and bedrock dating, rock-surface exposure dating, burial dating, palaeothermometry, or low-temperature thermochronometry, offer powerful tools for investigating geological and geomorphological processes across timescales ranging from decades to millions of years.

In surficial deposits, luminescence and ESR dating can constrain soil development and sediment stratigraphy, as well as the timing of processes such as sand dune migration, fluvial terrace formation, landslides, glacial retreat, archaeological site occupation, and coastal progradation. Single-grain and multi-signal approaches enable reconstruction of sediment transport pathways, provenance analysis, and deposition rates, providing insight into river dynamics, earthquake-triggered liquefaction, and the recurrence of mass-wasting events. When applied to bedrock and fault zones, trapped-charge thermochronometry and rock-surface dating can record low-temperature cooling histories, uplift rates, exhumation patterns, and fault activity, bridging the temporal gap between short-term surface processes and long-term crustal evolution, and offering complementary insights into the interplay between tectonics, climate, and landscape evolution.

Trapped-charge methods can also support geothermal studies and paleoclimate reconstructions, linking surface processes to tectonic and climatic forcing across New Zealand’s diverse environments. By integrating these trapped-charge techniques with geological, geomorphic, and geodetic observations, we can gain a deeper understanding of landscape evolution, active tectonics, seismic hazards, and resource management in the geologically active region of Aotearoa New Zealand.