Quaternary Geochronology 2 (2007) 255–259 Research paper Luminescence chronology from the Verkhoyansk Mountains (North-Eastern Siberia) G. Stauch a,Ã , F. Lehmkuhl a , M. Frechen b a Department of Geography, RWTH Aachen University, Templergraben 55, 52056 Aachen, Germany b Leibniz Institute for Applied Geosciences (GGA-Institut), Section S3, Stilleweg 2, 30655 Hannover, Germany Received 25 April 2006; accepted 1 May 2006 Available online 10 July 2006 Abstract This study presents new dating results from the Verkhoyansk Mountains in northeastern Siberia. Pleistocene sediments of aeolian and glacial origin have been studied and dated by infrared optically stimulated luminescence (IRSL). The chronostratigraphy of this vast area is mainly based on radiocarbon dating up to now. Aeolian sediments are widespread in the foreland of the Verkhoyansk Mountains. IRSL-dating results indicate two major periods of increased accumulation between 33 and 24 ka and between 13 and 9 ka. A new stratigraphy of Pleistocene glaciations in this area has been developed. Up to five end moraines have been identified in two catchments areas. IRSL was applied to date the sandy and silty sediments covering the glacial deposits in order to get minimum ages. Furthermore, glacial and glacio-fluvial deposits were also sampled from a few locations. According to the IRSL dating results, the uppermost end moraine was deposited prior to 50 ka. The three outermost moraines might have been formed during Early Weicheslian to Saalian times. It is very likely that no major glaciers reached the foreland of the Verkhoyansk Mountains during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM, MIS 2). r 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Quaternary; Glacier; IRSL-dating; Verkhoyansk Mountains; Siberia 1. Introduction The Verkhoyansk Mountains are of particular interest concerning the Quaternary climatic evolution of northern Asia owing to their position on the eastern margin of Siberia. The study area is located at 125–1401E, which is the eastermost area of Eurasia, which is influence by westerlies and moisture-rich air masses from the Atlantic. More recent research about the glaciations in northern Asia have been presented from neighbouring regions in Western and Middle Siberia (e.g. Frechen and Yamskikh, 1999; Zander et al., 2003; Hubberten et al., 2004; Svendsen et al., 2004) as well as from the Russian Far East (e.g. Brigham-Grette et al., 2003). However, only few results are available about the Verkhoyansk Mountains. Grosswald and Hughes (2002) proposed a huge panarctic ice sheet during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) extending over large areas of northeastern Asia including the Verkhoyansk Mountains. Most authors reconstructed a less-extended ice-sheet (Isayeva, 1984; Arkhipov et al., 1986; Frenzel et al., 1992; Kotljakov et al., 1997; Zamoruyev, 2004). Up to ten moraines have been identified on the western side of the Verkhoyansk Range (Kind et al., 1971; Kind 1975; Kolpakov, 1979). The oldest mapped ice advance has been assigned to the Saalian Period. Its deposits were overridden by a more extensive younger glaciation, which is poorly preserved as basal till. According to these authors, the most extensive glaciation developed during the Early Weichse- lian but no end moraine is preserved either. Four terminal moraines have been mapped and correlated to the Middle and Late Weichselian by the radiocarbon method (Kind et al., 1971; Kind, 1975; Kolpakov, 1979; Kolpakov and Belova, 1980). According to Kind (1975), the oldest of these glaciations at about 32 ka BP nearly reached the extent of the Early Weichselian glaciation and was relatively short living, about 1000–2000 years. Three terminal moraines gave radiocarbon ages between 29 and ARTICLE IN PRESS www.elsevier.com/locate/quageo 1871-1014/$ - see front matter r 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.quageo.2006.05.013 Ã Corresponding author. Tel.: +49 241 8096049. E-mail address: gstauch@geo.rwth-aachen.de (G. Stauch).