This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.
Fig 1.
Map of the High Tatras where both study areas are indicated: hashed black lines indicate the area of the Velická dolina valley that covers all the six sample sites, and the yellow square indicates the Great Yellow Wall (Fig. S1). Likewise, the location of the Bee Pit is a yellow square.
Fig 2.
Overview of the Bee Pit outcrop with the sampling locations in the different units. The log in Fig. 3 is from the southern side of the exposure (left in photo). The two boulders in unit 4 are marked with the red dashed line.
Fig 3.
Log combining the lower and upper exposures at the Bee Pit, including all units and uncorrected pIRIR225 luminescence ages from the site. The zero level in the log is approximately at 914 m a.s.l. Sample numbers and ages in bold are considered most reliable (for explanation, see text). Lithofacies codes are according to Krüger and Kjaer (1999).
Fig 4.
Overview of the luminescence sampling locations in the Velická dolina valley with location of luminescence samples (yellow stars). (A) Photo of Site 2 taken from Site 1 at the Great Yellow Wall. (B) Dry riverbed north of Site 3. (C) Site 4, east from the modern river. (D) Site 5, west from the modern river. (E) Site 6, the modern riverbed can be seen in the background. (F) Overview of Site 8, showing the natural outcrop from which the moraine sample was taken.
Fig 5.
Log from Sites 1 (left) and 2 (right), showing the units of the uppermost, southern side (YS) and the sampled northern part of the Great Yellow Wall (YN). It includes the uncorrected pIRIR225 luminescence ages, where the bold ages are the most reliable. The zero level of the log is at approximately 1110 m a.s.l., and the legend can be found in Fig. 3. Sample numbers and ages in bold are considered most reliable (for explanation, see text).
Fig 6.
(A) Weathered boulders with a sand matrix at Site 2, Great Yellow Wall. Sample 20026 was taken from within one of the weathered boulders and used as a sample with field-saturated luminescence signal since light exposure is not expected to have occurred at any point in time for these grains. (B) Sample 20026 taken from the weathered boulders.
Fig 7.
Small (2-mm) aliquot with feldspar grains used for dose estimation of sample 19102. The average number of grains for the small aliquots is approximately 70.
Fig 8.
Representative sensitivity-corrected dose–response curves and dose estimates for sample 19088 for (A) IR50. and (B) pIRIR225. De was determined to be 325 Gy and 800 Gy, respectively. (C) Example of a g-value measurement of the IR50 signal on a single aliquot of sample 19088. The steep trend line suggests a significant fading of the IR50 signal.
Fig 9.
Variation in equivalent dose and dose recovery ratio with temperature and signal integration intervals for sample 19082. (A) Preheat plateau (PHP) test where doses were calculated with early background subtraction (peak first 0.32 s, background next 0.32 s). All aliquots for 200° were rejected, (B) dose recovery ratios with corresponding calculation. (C) PHP test with late background subtraction for dose determination (peak first 0.8 s, background last 64 s). (D) Dose recovery ratios with corresponding calculation. The hatched line in B and D shows a dose recovery ratio of 1.0 (i.e. unity).
Fig 10.
(A) Decay curve comparison between normalised OSL signals from quartz sample 19083 and Risø calibration quartz (Hansen et al., 2015) for the initial part of the stimulation. The decay curve of sample 19083 indicates a slow signal decay, which is not dominated by a fast component. (B) A similar comparison between non-normalised OSL signals shows the very dim signal of the quartz from the Biely Váh valley.
Fig 11.
LM-OSL curves for one aliquot each of samples: (A) 19082 (B) 19095 (C) 19104 and (D) Risø calibration quartz batch 123. It is notable that the presence of the fast component varies greatly between samples, but it is not dominant in any of the Tatra samples.
Fig 12.
Comparison of the thermal stability between the natural quartz extracts (samples 19082, 19095 and 19104) and the Risø 180–250 μm calibration quartz (batch 123).
Fig 13.
(A) Dose–response curve and fading plot (inset) for the IR50 signal of sample 20026. Note that the signal does not display full saturation and fades significantly (mean g-value 5.4 ± 0.4%/decade for all aliquots). (B) Dose–response curve and fading plot (inset) for the pIRIR225 signal of sample 20026. The natural signal of this aliquot is close to saturation since the De > 2D0 (De = 765 ± 95 Gy; D0 = 289 ± 4 Gy) but not at saturation, and it still shows some fading in the laboratory (sample average g-value 0.66 ± 0.25%/decade).
Fig 14.
Examples of growth curves for IR50 and pIRIR225 measurements for samples 19091 (A,B) and 19096 (C,D). For the aliquot of sample 19091, the De is closer to saturation for the pIRIR225 signal. Sample 19096 is not close to saturation for IR50 and pIRIR225 (i.e. De < 2*D0).
Fig 15.
Bleaching rate of sample 19087 showing the signal or dose (Gy) plotted against exposure time in a logarithmic scale for both IR50 and pIRIR225.
Fig 16.
Comparison between quartz and feldspar ages. (A) Approximate quartz ages, based on 3 aliquots per sample, are all much lower than the fading corrected IR50 ages. (B) Feldspar-corrected IR50 ages are mostly of the same order as the uncorrected pIRIR225 ages, with some exceptions.
Fig 17.
Relation of uncorrected ages of the pIRIR225 (ka) on the x-axis vs. elevation of the samples in the outcrops on the y-axis. Preferred ages per site or unit are black. Note that the Velická dolina valley and the Biely Váh valley are two different areas in the southern foothills of the Tatra Mountains and are not subsequent geological strata as the figure might imply.
Fig S1.
Lower part of the Velická dolina valley with the orange dots to mark the sample sites.
Fig S4.
Probability plots with a z-distribution (mean of 0 and the standard deviation of 1) showing the dose distributions of samples with the most aliquots: samples 19091 (n=30), 19096 (n=29) and 19102 (n=33).
Dose recovery ratios and residual doses for IR and pIRIR measured on all samples from the Bee pit and the Velická dolina valley.
Sample no.
IR50
pIRIR225
Dose recovery ratio
Error
Residual
Error
Dose recovery ratio
Error
Residual
Error
19082
0.89
0.03
2.73
0.2
0.92
0.03
16.09
0.12
19083
0.84
0.03
2.56
0.1
0.89
0.03
15
0.1
19086
0.86
0.03
3.29
0.1
0.87
0.03
17.3
0.1
19087
0.84
0.03
2.64
0.1
0.9
0.03
17.5
0.1
19091
0.84
0.03
2.73
0.1
0.92
0.03
15.6
0.5
19092
0.88
0.03
-
-
0.91
0.03
-
-
19094
0.92
0.03
2.89
0.3
0.94
0.03
15.5
1.6
19096
-
-
2.86
0.2
-
-
15.3
1.5
Results of the SOL2 bleaching experiment for sample 19087.
Bleaching time (min)
IR50 De (Gy)
IR50 Ln/Tn
pIRIR225 De (Gy)
pIRIR225 Ln/Tn
0 (Natural)
232.8 ± 2.8
6.49 ± 0.08
587.8 ± 19.4
8.88 ± 0.39
1
45.4 ± 8.7
1.55 ± 0.27
311.7 ± 31.7
7.38 ± 0.52
5
6.8 ± 0.3
0.24 ± 0.01
92.7 ± 4.4
3.04 ± 0.12
20
3.3 ± 0.2
0.12 ± 0.01
29.5 ± 0.7
1.06 ± 0.02
60
2.2 ± 0.1
0.08 ± 0.00
16.3 ± 0.7
0.60 ± 0.03
20160
0.5 ± 0.0
0.02 ± 0.00
4.8 ± 0.3
0.17 ± 0.01
Results of the IR50 and pIRIR225 measurements: g-values, feldspar dose estimates, the number aliquots with De < 2D0 compared to the total number of accepted aliquots and the uncorrected and corrected ages.
Sample No.
Unit / Site No.
g-value (%/decade)
De (Gy)
Accepted (De<2D0) / Total aliquots
Uncorrected age (ka)
Corrected age (ka)
IR50
pIRIR225
IR50
pIRIR225
IR50
pIRIR225
IR50
pIRIR225
IR50
pIRIR225
19082
Unit 3
6.71 ± 0.1
2.23 ± 0.3
414 ± 15
868 ± 86
12(12)/12
12(1)/12
125 ± 7.8
261 ± 29
278 ± 18
326 ± 38
19083
Unit 1B
4.82 ± 0.7
1.56 ± 0.1
351 ± 14
844 ± 116
12(12)/12
12(1)/12
109 ± 7.2
263 ± 39
185 ± 28
308 ± 51
19084
Unit 3
9.83 ± 0.2
2.84 ± 0.2
348 ± 14
741 ± 80
12(12)/12
12(2)/12
129 ± 8.7
275 ± 33
624 ± 82
368 ± 46
19085
Unit 3
6.52 ± 0.1
1.66 ± 0.6
317 ± 11
760 ± 76
12(12)/12
12(1)/12
106 ± 6.8
254 ± 29
230 ± 16
300 ± 39
19086
Unit 3
1.66 ± 0.2
0.09 ± 0.1
387 ± 16
812 ± 105
12(12)/12
12(0)/12
100 ± 7.3
210 ± 30
117 ± 8.7
212 ± 29
19087
Unit 12
5.06 ± 0.3
1.48 ± 0.1
351 ± 13
788 ± 73
12(12)/12
12(2)/12
120 ± 7.6
269 ± 29
208 ± 16
311 ± 31
19088
Unit 12
5.85 ± 0.2
0.81 ± 0.6
326 ± 11
776 ± 74
12(12)/12
12(1)/12
81 ± 4.9
193 ± 21
156 ± 12
208 ± 27
19089
Unit 12
5.05 ± 0.02
1.99 ± 0.02
372 ± 14
850 ± 91
12(12)/12
12(2)/12
109 ± 6.6
249 ± 29
188 ± 11
304 ± 36
19090
Unit 9
5.71 ± 0.4
2.16 ± 0.1
354 ± 13
763 ± 73
12(12)/12
12(1)/12
115 ± 7.8
248 ± 28
219 ± 22
308 ± 31
19091
Unit 9
8.69 ± 1.1
0.37 ± 0.4
360 ± 13
710 ± 58
30(30)/30
30(8)/30
97.3 ± 5.7
192 ± 18
318 ± 185
199 ± 19
19092
Unit 5
5.26 ± 0.3
0.70 ± 0.4
465 ± 20
949 ± 123
12(12)/12
12(2)/12
132 ± 8.6
269 ± 38
236 ± 19
287 ± 39
19093
Site 1
8.01 ± 0.6
1.05 ± 0.3
338 ± 15
636 ± 64
12(12)/12
12(5)/12
79.5 ± 5.5
150 ± 17
219 ± 50
165 ± 19
19094
Site 1
9.43 ± 0.5
3.04 ± 0.1
304 ± 14
611 ± 49
12(11)/15
12(7)/13
69.9 ± 5.2
139 ± 14
266 ± 105
188 ± 21
19095
Site 1
4.83 ± 0.3
2.06 ± 0.2
325 ± 13
709 ± 85
12(12)/12
12(5)/13
86.1 ± 5.9
188 ± 25
145 ± 12
231 ± 29
19096
Site 2
7.20 ± 0.6
1.52 ± 0.2
346 ± 14
770 ± 72
29(29)/30
29(9)/30
90.9 ± 6.1
202 ± 22
204.5 ± 34
234 ± 24
19097
Site 2
7.25 ± 1.1
−0.41 ± 0.1
330 ± 12
798 ± 88
12(12)/15
12(3)/18
96.7 ± 6.9
234 ± 30
234 ± 83
*
19098
Site 3
8.61 ± 0.8
3.31 ± 0.2
134 ± 4.2
361 ± 22
12(12)/12
12(10)/12
38.5 ± 2.9
103 ± 9.5
116 ± 35
145 ± 14
19100
Site 4
4.56 ± 0.6
1.43 ± 0.2
306 ± 15
839 ± 122
12(12)/12
12(2)/12
81.7 ± 6.1
224 ± 35
130 ± 14
257 ± 41
19101
Site 5
11.49 ± 0.3
1.65 ± 0.2
131 ± 4.1
506 ± 37
12(12)/14
12(7)/12
37.7 ± 2.8
146 ± 14
307 ± 118
172 ± 17
19102
Site 5
7.49 ± 0.9
2.60 ± 0.2
96.0 ± 3.1
387 ± 32
33(33)/33
33(22)/35
29.1 ± 2.0
117 ± 12
69 ± 15
152 ± 15
19105
Site 6
10.77 ± 1.0
2.98 ± 0.3
31.5 ± 1.5
109 ± 7.0
12(12)/15
12(9)/18
17.7 ± 1.6
61.6 ± 6.3
79 ± 37
82 ± 10
19106
Site 6
6.74 ± 0.04
1.64 ± 0.1
56.2 ± 1.9
183 ± 5.8
12(12)/15
12(9)/18
20.1 ± 1.6
65.4 ± 5.2
42 ± 3.5
77 ± 5.7
20026
Site 2
5.42 ± 0.41
0.66 ± 0.25
453 ± 10
737 ± 47
5(5)/5
5(5)/5
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
20028
Site 8
4.89 ± 0.83
0.88 ± 0.41
18.4 ± 3.9
55.6 ± 5.6
12(12)/12
12(12)/12
5.0 ± 1.1
15.0 ± 1.7
7.6 ± 2.0
16.1 ± 1.9
The water content values used for the age calculation, per sample. For three samples the uncorrected pIRIR age (ka) is shown calculated with all three water contents.
Sample No.
Field Water Content (%)
Saturated Water Content (%)
Expected Water Content (%)
19082
11
31
27
19083
15
25
24
19084
7
22
19
19085
13
25
23
19086
21
27
26
19087
24
35
29
19088
23
30
26
19089
15
27
20
19090
15
35
29
19091
17
31
27
19092
32
38
36
19093
16
25
21
19094
9
22
13
19095
18
28
21
19096
28
35
31
19097
28
35
31
19098
5
23
23
19099
5
23
23
19100
8
29
23
19101
17
31
30
19102
21
30
29
19105
19
49
49
19106
19
49
49
20028
0
18
15
OSL parameters calculated from the quartz extracts using linear modulation compared to other values from literature.
Sample
OSL component
Detraping probability (b)
Photoionisation cross-section (ϭ)
Relative Cross-section
19082
Fast
22.4 ± 4.9
1.4 × 10−16
1
Slow1
1.8 ± 0.2
1.2 × 10−17
0.09
Slow2
0.17 ± 0.003
1.1 × 10−18
0.01
Slow3
0.018 ± 0.004
1.1 × 10−19
0.001
Slow4
0.0004 ± 0.0003
2.5 × 10−20
0.0002
19095
Fast
9.6 ± 3.2
6.1 × 10−17
1
Medium
0.94 ± 0.1
6.0 × 10−18
0.1
Slow2
0.12 ± 0.008
7.8 × 10−19
0.01
Slow3
0.017 ± 0.0008
1.2 × 10−19
0.002
Slow4
0.004 ± 0.00009
2.9 × 10−20
0.0006
19104
Fast
1.6 ± 0.3
6.2 × 10−18
1
Slow1
0.08 ± 0.04
5.0 × 10−19
0.05
Slow3
0.005 ± 0.0003
3.1 × 10−20
0.003
Calib. quartz
Fast
2.7 ± 0.09
1.6 × 10−17
1
Slow4
0.0007 ± 0.00003
4.5 × 10−21
0.0003
Jain et al. (2003)
Fast
2.5 ± 0.2
2.3 × 10−17
1
Medium
0.62 ± 0.05
5.6 × 10−18
0.2
Slow1
0.15 ± 0.03
1.3 × 10−18
0.06
Slow2
0.023 ± 0.005
2.1 × 10−19
0.01
Slow3
0.0022 ± 0.0002
2.1 × 10−20
0.001
Slow4
0.00030 ± 0.00001
2.8 × 10−21
0.0001
Durcan and Duller (2011)
Fast
n.a.
2.6 × 10−17
1
Medium
n.a.
4.3 × 10−18
0.16
Slow1
n.a.
1.1 × 10−18
0.04
Slow2
n.a.
3.0 × 10−19
0.01
Slow3
n.a.
3.4 × 10−20
0.001
Slow4
n.a.
9.1 × 10−21
0.0003
OSL doses, dose rates and ages for the quartz samples.
Sample No.
Number of aliquots
Type of OSL measurement
Mean Dose ± error (Gy)
Total Dose rate ± error (Gy ka−1)
Age (ka)
19082
18
Differential OSL
268 ± 58
2.6 ± 0.1
104 ± 23
12
Pulsed OSL
102 ± 6
40 ± 3
19083
3
Standard SAR
143 ± 27
2.7 ± 0.1
53 ± 10
19084
6
Standard SAR
160 ± 41
2.1 ± 0.1
77 ± 20
19085
3
Standard SAR
103 ± 21
2.4 ± 0.1
42 ± 9
19090
3
Standard SAR
96 ± 11
2.6 ± 0.1
38 ± 5
19091
3
Standard SAR
186 ± 55
3.2 ± 0.1
58 ± 17
19092
3
Standard SAR
114 ± 40
3.3 ± 0.2
35 ± 12
19102
12
Pulsed OSL
30 ± 6
2.3 ± 0.2
13 ± 3
Concentration of radioactive elements in the sampled sediments (from gamma spectrometry) and the dose rate from cosmic radiation to each sample (as calculated in DRAC v1.2 (Durcan et al., 2015)).
Sample No.
U (ppm) ± error
Th (ppm) ± error
K (%) ± error
Cosmic dose rate (Gy. ka−1)
Total Dose Rate (Gy. ka−1)
wce(%)
19082
1.49 ± 0.58
5.87 ± 0.15
2.52 ± 0.04
0.14 ± 0.01
3.33 ± 0.17
27
19083
0.96 ± 0.45
6.55 ± 0.13
2.42 ± 0.05
0.10 ± 0.01
3.21 ± 0.16
24
19084
0.48 ± 0.17
4.98 ± 0.08
1.91 ± 0.03
0.07 ± 0.01
2.70 ± 0.15
19
19085
0.92 ± 0.54
5.11 ± 0.14
2.23 ± 0.04
0.10 ± 0.01
2.99 ± 0.16
23
19086
2.43 ± 1.24
8.48 ± 0.33
2.86 ± 0.10
0.09 ± 0.01
3.87 ± 0.23
26
19087
1.22 ± 0.42
6.96 ± 0.12
1.99 ± 0.04
0.16 ± 0.02
2.93 ± 0.15
29
19088
4.23 ± 0.84
9.35 ± 0.23
2.46 ± 0.05
0.17 ± 0.02
4.03 ± 0.20
26
19089
1.04 ± 0.21
5.60 ± 0.08
2.52 ± 0.03
0.17 ± 0.02
3.41 ± 0.16
20
19090
0.74 ± 0.71
5.97 ± 0.18
2.32 ± 0.05
0.21 ± 0.02
3.07 ± 0.17
29
19091
2.08 ± 0.39
8.79 ± 0.11
2.59 ± 0.03
0.21 ± 0.02
3.70 ± 0.17
27
19092
2.20 ± 0.79
7.27 ± 0.21
2.74 ± 0.05
0.20 ± 0.02
3.53 ± 0.18
36
19093
3.28 ± 0.34
12.0 ± 0.17
2.56 ± 0.04
0.20 ± 0.02
4.24 ± 0.23
21
19094
2.85 ± 0.64
12.3 ± 0.19
2.48 ± 0.05
0.19 ± 0.02
4.39 ± 0.26
13
19095
2.38 ± 0.45
10.6 ± 0.13
2.29 ± 0.03
0.19 ± 0.02
3.78 ± 0.21
21
19096
3.60 ± 0.44
11.6 ± 0.12
2.47 ± 0.04
0.06 ± 0.01
3.80 ± 0.20
31
19097
1.61 ± 0.86
13.5 ± 0.24
2.21 ± 0.05
0.11 ± 0.01
3.41 ± 0.21
31
19098
1.15 ± 0.49
6.80 ± 0.14
2.18 ± 0.05
0.27 ± 0.03
3.48 ± 0.23
23
19100
2.94 ± 0.58
12.1 ± 0.17
2.09 ± 0.05
0.17 ± 0.02
3.75 ± 0.21
23
19101
2.39 ± 0.60
11.8 ± 0.17
2.32 ± 0.05
0.18 ± 0.02
3.48 ± 0.23
30
19102
1.39 ± 0.72
8.57 ± 0.19
2.31 ± 0.05
0.17 ± 0.02
3.29 ± 0.20
29
19104
1.50 ± 0.25
6.53 ± 0.07
1.81 ± 0.03
0.29 ± 0.03
2.43 ± 0.20
-
19105
1.06 ± 0.30
6.68 ± 0.15
1.89 ± 0.04
0 (surface)
1.78 ± 0.14
-
19106
1.06 ± 0.30
6.68 ± 0.15
1.89 ± 0.04
0.31 ± 0.03
2.80 ± 0.20
49
20028
1.18 ± 0.27
10.16 ± 0.15
2.44 ± 0.04
0.15 ± 0.02
3.72 ± 0.17
15
Sample information acquired from the investigated study areas. Lithofacies codes are based on Krüger and Kjaer (1999).
Sample No.
Site
UTM 33N easting
UTM 33N northing
Location / Sample type
Depth in m (overburden sediment)
Stratigraphic unit
Lithofacies
Fraction (μm)
19082
Bee Pit
42829
5439202
Lower section
7.1
B3
SiSm(ng)
180–250
19083
Bee Pit
428289
5439024
Lower section
11.4
B1B
SSim
180–250
19084
Bee Pit
428292
5439015
Lower section
13.8
B3
SiSm(ng)
180–250
19085
Bee Pit
428289
5439024
Lower section
11.4
B3
SiSm(ng)
180–250
19086
Bee Pit
428283
5439047
Lower section
10.8
B3
SiSm(ng)
180–250
19087
Bee Pit
428228
5438971
Upper section
5.4
B12
SiSm(ng)
180–250
19088
Bee Pit
428228
5438971
Upper section
5.4
B12
SiSm(ng)
180–250
19089
Bee Pit
428228
5438971
Upper section
5.4
B12
Sm(ng)
180–250
19090
Bee Pit
428282
5439016
Lower section
2.2
B9
SiSm
180–250
19091
Bee Pit
428282
5439016
Lower section
2.2
B9
SiSm
180–250
19092
Bee Pit
428286
5439018
Lower section
3.6
B5
Sm(ng)
180–250
19093
GYW, site 1
439489
5441932
GYW South (YS)
1.8
YS3
GSm
180–250
19094
GYW, site 1
439489
5441932
GYW South (YS)
1.7
YS3
Sm
180–250
19095
GYW, site 1
439489
5441932
GYW South (YS)
2.2
YS3
GSm
180–250
19096
GYW, site 2
439514
5442023
GYW North (YN)
15
YN1
Sm
180–250
19097
GYW, site 2
439514
5442023
GYW North (YN)
15
YN1
Sm
180–250
19098
Site 3
439737
5441549
Flood deposit
0.24
-
Gm
250–355
19099*
Site 4
439677
5441615
East of Velická potok
2
-
Gm
*
19100
Site 4
439677
5441615
East of Velická potok
2.5
-
Sm
180–250
19101
Site 5
439605
5441701
West of Velická potok
2.6
-
Sh
90–180
19102
Site 5
439605
5441701
West of Velická potok
2.5
-
Sh
180–250
19105
Site 6
439775
5441345
Modern Analogue (MA)
0
-
Sm
180–250
19106
Site 6
439775
5441345
Modern Analogue (MA)
0.03
-
Sm
250–355
19103*
Site 7
440614
5436964
Distant MA
0
-
Sm
*
19104*
Site 7
440614
5436964
Distant MA
0.12
-
Sm
90–180
20026
GYW, site 2
439514
5442023
Saturated sample
15
YN1
Boulder
180–250
20028
Site 8
439819
5442867
Moraine
5
-
DmC
180–250
Water content test, where ages for samples 19084, 19086 and 19094 were calculated for 0% and 50% water content.