Luminescence geochronology and paleoenvironmental implications of coastal red dune sands of northeast Hainan Island, China

Abstract

The study of the chronology of the red dune sands in tropical coastal areas of China, and the environmental significance thereof, is a weak link in studies of Quaternary geology. Therefore, in this study, optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating was carried out on two red dune sand profiles (YRS and PQR2) from Wenchang coast in the north-eastern area of Hainan Island. The results showed that the periods of red dune sands accumulation during Marine Isotope Stages MIS 5 and 3 with interglacial period and associated high sea-level stands, probably occurred by similar to, or more humid than, present conditions. The red dune sands in southern of China are controlled by global background factors such as insolation, the East Asian monsoon, and sea level changes on the million-year scale.