Towards Achieving Low Background Levels in Routine Dating by Liquid Scintillation Spectrometry

Datos Bibliográficos

ID9243282
AutoresAlan G Hogg, Angela Hogg (0000-0002-4001-9027)
Año2004
Volumen46
Número1
Páginas123-131
Fecha de publicación2004-01-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaRadiocarbon (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0033-8222 • E-ISSN: 1945-5755
EditorialCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s0033822200039436
OpenAlexW2133576945
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas5
Referencias citadas5

International radiocarbon intercalibration studies have revealed that radiometric laboratories using liquid scintillation (LS) spectrometry of benzene reported, on average, younger ages for near-background standards than either gas proportional counter (GPC) or accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) laboratories. These studies suggested that the younger LS ages are probably related to the use of spectrophotometric benzene as a background standard. An analysis of successive 110-ka subfossil wood (Airedale Reef Ancient Wood: ARAW) standards shows that vacuum line memory effects occur in LS spectrometry and, consequently, must be corrected to obtain accurate 14 C dates. ARAW standards, measured at monthly intervals in the Waikato laboratory, are used to provide blank corrections for both research and routine dating applications. The strong correlation between the ARAW δ 14 C data and the sample activities that preceded the standards may provide an opportunity to obtain sample-specific blank corrections. Lithium carbide synthesis is likely to prove a source of contamination. This work suggests that reproducible background levels for routine dating of less than 0.1 pMC (55 ka 14 C yr) are achievable

Accelerator mass spectrometry · Archaeology · Chromatography · Geography · Holocene · Liquid scintillation counting · Mass spectrometry · Mineralogy · Radiocarbon dating · Radiochemistry · Radiometric dating · Remote sensing · Subfossil · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Chemistry · Environmental Science · Geology and Paleoclimatology Research · Pacific and Southeast Asian Studies · Geology