Electron spin resonance dating of megafauna from Lagoa dos Porcos, Piaui, Brazil

A groundbreaking electron spin resonance (ESR) dating study of megafauna fossils from Lagoa dos Porcos, Piaui, Brazil, places the site's fossil assemblage within the Late Pleistocene, approximately 26 ± 4 and 22 ± 3 thousand years ago. This finding is significant as it provides a chronological context for one of the richest paleontological occurrences in the Serra da Capivara National Park. The study utilized ESR dating on teeth samples from Gomphotheriidae and Toxodontinae, employing spectra acquired with a JEOL FA-200 X-Band spectrometer to construct dose-response curves. These dates overlap with a period of abrupt increase in rainfall in northeast Brazil, suggesting a potential link between environmental changes and the formation of this deposit.

Kinoshita, A., Mayer, E., Ribau Mendes, V., Figueiredo, A. M. G., & Baffa, O. (2014). Electron spin resonance dating of megafauna from Lagoa dos Porcos, Piaui, Brazil. Radiation Protection Dosimetry, 159(1-4), 212–219. https://doi.org/10.1093/rpd/ncu178