Luminescence chronology and facies development of Bhur sands in the interfluve region of the Central Gangetic Plain, India

Abstract

Bhur sand ridges in the upland interfluve surface are a distinctive feature of the Ganga Plain and occur as arcuate, linear and oval geomorphic highs. Their sedimentary sequence shows a few meter thick aeolian sand cover invariably underlain by fluvial channel deposits in the form of point bar succession. Infrared stimulated luminescence (IRSL) dating of the topmost part of the channel sand and the overlying aeolian sediments yielded stratigraphicaUy consistent results and indicated that the fluvial channel activity in the region ceased sometime during 7 to 5 ka. This was followed by a phase of deposition of aeolian sand, suggesting a phase of weakened monsoon and increased aridity.