Discovery of a 1.0 Ma Yellow River terrace and redating of the fourth Yellow River terrace in Lanzhou area

Based on the aeolian loess sequence-stratigraphic division and paleomagnetic datings on terraces, we found that an undiscovered terrace with the age of 1.0 Ma BP lies between the Dunwashan terrace and Wuyishan terrace. This terrace recorded an intensive Yellow River incision event during that period. Results of paleomagnetic dating and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating of the Wuyishan loess section and Zaoshugou loess section on the fourth Yellow River terrace (T4) show that the age of the fourth Yellow River terrace in Lanzhou area is 0.86 Ma BP rather than the previously believed 0.6 Ma BP. This result answers a long-term question in the geomorphology community of whether there exists a 0.8 Ma terrace in Lanzhou area. The discovery of the 1.0 Ma Yellow River terrace and redating of the age of 0.6 Ma terrace in Lanzhou area provide new insights into further research on the evolution of Yellow River.