Current status of 238U-234U-230Th dating of speleothems

초록

Uranium-series (U-238-U-234-Th-230) dating is one of the most precise and reliable dating methods for Quaternary research. Speleothems, in particular, represent an ideal paleoclimatic archive for this method, providing high-precision ages that serve as a key tool for reconstructing paleoenvironmental records. Since the late 1980s, the development of thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) has driven remarkable progress in U-series dating, leading to the widespread application of speleothems to paleoclimate reconstruction, sea-level change, and age calibration. In Korea, however, the application of U-series dating to speleothems remains limited, and research has been constrained by the absence of analytical infrastructure. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the theoretical background of U-series dating methods, the suitability of speleothems as dating materials, and major case studies. We also discuss the potential for future applications of this dating method in Korea. The establishment of a dedicated analytical infrastructure for U-series dating would not only advance Quaternary paleoenvironmental reconstruction, but also expand its applications to paleoseismology, landscape evolution, and geoheritage studies in Korea.

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