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High-Precision Intercomparison at Isotrace

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 July 2016

Roelf P Beukens*
Affiliation:
IsoTrace Laboratory, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A7, Canada
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Abstract

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I conducted a high-precision comparison at the 0.2% to 0.3% level with samples supplied by the radiocarbon laboratory of the Quaternary Research Center at the University of Washington (QRC). Four samples with ages ranging from modern to > 50,000 BP were dated in a blind test. The absence of cosmic-radiation background in AMS dating is a major advantage for dating samples > 35,000 BP. The reliability of AMS dates > 35,000 BP depends entirely on understanding the contamination processes. By comparing results with laboratories capable of sample enrichment, such as QRC, it is possible to identify and estimate the intrinsic 14C in the background samples as well as the contamination introduced by sample preparation.

Type
Session IV
Copyright
Copyright © The American Journal of Science 

References

Beukens, RP and Lee, HW 1981 The production of small carbon samples by RF dissociation of acetylene. in Kutschera, W, ed, Symposium on accelerator mass spectrometry, 2nd, Proc. Argonne Natl Lab: 416-425.Google Scholar
Beukens, RP, Gurfinkel, DM and Lee, HW 1986 Progress at the Isotrace radiocarbon facility. in Stuiver, M and Kra, RS, eds, Internatl 14C conf, 12th, Proc. Radiocarbon 28(2A): 229236.Google Scholar