The Schmidt hammer as a relative‐age dating technique: Potential and limitations of its application on Holocene moraines in Mt Cook National Park, Southern Alps, New Zealand

Abstract

Abstract The use of the Schmidt hammer for the relative‐age dating of boulder and bedrock surfaces is outlined. Two examples of the application of the Schmidt hammer for the dating of Holocene moraines in Mt Cook National Park, Southern Alps, New Zealand, confirm the potential of this method. With this technique it is possible to differentiate between Holocene moraines of different age (especially those built up since c. 5000 yr BP). The results show partial differences to those obtained from other dating techniques in previous work.