Applications of ESR dating and18O Paleotemperature data for studies on Quaternary sea-level changes

Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) dating is a relatively new technique applicable also to the dating of materials from littoral zones and shallow sea regions, such as shells, corals, bones and teeth, foraminifera, diatoms, etc. ESR dating can span the time interval between the older limit of¹⁴C dating and the younger limit of the K-Ar dating, an interval of 10³-10⁶ years. Therefore, ESR technique is very suitatie for the measurement of the age of Quaternary sea—level changes. This paper gives some samples' results by ESR dating from Early Pleistoncene to Holocene. The Quaternary sea—level changes in China were mainly eustatisms that corresponded to the paleotemperature variation. We have just begun study on the¹⁸O Paleotemperature in our continental area. Preliminary results show the temperature curve of the stalagmitic growth in caves corresponds well to the sea—level changes in 76-55×10³ years B. P. ESR dating and studies of the¹⁸O Paleotemperature in East China will raise studies on Quaternary sea—level changes to a higher scientific basis.