An aminostratigraphy of the northern Upper Rhine Graben, Germany

The northern Upper Rhine Graben (Germany) contains a complex, quasi-continuous Quaternary record, but constraining its chronology is challenging. This study presents the first application of amino acid geochronology for this region using Bithynia opercula to establish a relative dating framework. Intra-crystalline protein decomposition (IcPD) results from opercula have allowed their horizons to be statistically grouped into clusters of equivalent age. Independent chronological evidence associated with these clusters was evaluated to refine the sediment chronology. This framework both constrains the ages of key lithostratigraphic units and facilitates cross-correlation of sediments across the graben, therefore providing a reference regional aminostratigraphy, which has also been extended to help constrain the age of various nearby Palaeolithic sites. This approach shows the value of combining the multi-parameter datasets from IcPD with other chronological evidence to cross-correlate boreholes, hence creating a reference dataset for Quaternary deposits for a given region.