Research

1. Dating application studies in Quaternary and archaeological sciences:

• Chronological framework of the Lower and Middle Palaeolithic hominid settlements in the Mediterranean area

e.g., Fuente Nueva-3, Barranco León, Atapuerca Gran Dolina, Vallparadis (Spain), Lunery, Brinay la Noira (France), Pirro Nord (Italy), Ain Boucherit, Ain Hanech, Tighennif (Algeria), Ain Beni Mathar (Morocco)

• Direct dating of human fossils

e.g., Homo antecessor from Atapuerca Gran Dolina TD-6, Homo sapiens from Al Wusta (Saudi Arabia) and Misliya (Israel), Homo naledi from Rising Star complex (South Africa), Homo sp. from Mata Menge (Indonesia)

• Fluvial geomorphology and evolution of fluvial systems and Neogene-Quaternary sedimentary basins

e.g., Ebro Basin (Spain), Moulouya river (Morocco), Cantabrian margin (Spain), Tajo Basin (Spain), Cher river (France), Rhine river (Germany)

2. Methodological developments:

• Developing ESR dating applied to Early Pleistocene fossil teeth (>780 ka)

with a special focus on : (i) ESR dosimetry of fossil tooth enamel, through a better understanding of the composition and behavior of the radiation-induced ESR signal in fossil tooth enamel; (ii) Uranium uptake and migration into dental tissues 

• Improving the reliability of the ESR dating method applied to optically bleached quartz grains

in particular: (i) Optimizing the experimental conditions for ESR measurements at low temperature; (ii) Understanding the behaviour of the ESR signals with the radiation dose; (iii) Evaluating the potential of the Ti centres for geochronological purpose; (iv) Cross-comparisons with other dating methods (OSL, cosmogenic nuclides, magnetostratigraphy …)

• Identifying the main sources of uncertainty in dose rate evaluation

e.g., In situ evaluation of the environmental dose rate; Uncertainty on grain size and shape and its impact on ESR/OSL dating of quartz and feldspar grains; Quantifying HF etching on quartz and feldspars