Research on provenance using luminescence sensitivity of quartz grains: Progress and prospect

The Thermoluminescence (TL) and Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) sensitivity of quartz grains is a new indicator to trace the provenance of deposits. Many achievements have been obtained. This paper focuses on the development of the luminescence sensitivity of quartz grains, describing the production mechanism, the influencing factors for TL and OSL sensitivity changes in the laboratory, and the ways to monitor and to correct the luminescence sensitivity changes. Then various luminescence sensitivity characteristics of quartz grains from different deposits (glacigenic sediments, eolian deposits, and aqueous sediments) in different regions are recounted in detail. Meanwhile, various temporal luminescence sensitivity characteristics are also described for the eolian deposits. The parent rock and sedimentary history play important roles in the quartz luminescence sensitivity in nature, and hence luminescence sensitivity of quartz grains can be used to infer the origin and provenance of deposits. The challenges and chances in applying such a technique in tracing are also analyzed.