Review of numerical methods for dating Quaternary volcanism

Abstract. The quality of the numerical age estimates used to establish the eruption chronology of a volcanic field is a critical control on the dependability of temporal hazard assessments. However, researchers involved in hazard assessment and modelling may be unfamiliar with dating methods and their complexities, which are needed to assess the quality of published ages. This paper aims to increase the awareness regarding the quality of geochronological data by providing brief introductions to the principles and applications of the dating methods applicable to Quaternary volcanism. The numerical dating methods included in this review are as follows: 40K / 40Ar and 40Ar / 39Ar dating, radiocarbon dating, uranium-series-related dating, cosmogenic nuclide exposure dating, and luminescence dating, as well as tephrostratigraphy and annual layer counting. First, the physical phenomena utilised by each method to provide age estimates are presented and then concerns related to the application of these methods are discussed, including necessary calibration steps and possible sources of error. This is followed by examples of the application of each of the methods.