Adam Michczyński
Biographic Data
| ID | 4130271 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Adam Michczyński |
| GIVEN NAMES | Adam |
| FAMILY NAME | Michczyński |
| SIGNATURE | MICHCZYŃSKI A |
| AFFILIATIONS | Silesian University of Technology |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-2795-6830 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 29 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 103 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 29 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1995 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 6 |
Assessment of 14 C and CO 2 in atmospheric air and pine needles in Gliwice, Poland
We present a short database of the mole fraction of CO 2 and 14 CO 2 in atmospheric air samples from an urban area in Gliwice, Silesia, Poland. The research covered a period from August 2023 to July 2024. A new laboratory air sampler stand was established to monitor carbon dioxide levels in Gliwice, giving the possibility to determine CO 2 levels in the air using appropriate instruments to collect the air samples, extract CO 2 from them, and thus…
Climate signal recorded in fluvial data
Using calibrated radiocarbon dates, this study investigates climate signals recorded in fluvial sedimentary archives from southern Poland, eastern Netherlands, and eastern Germany. Summed probability density functions (PDFs) were constructed and analyzed in the context of INTIMATE stratigraphy. The results indicate that fluvial sedimentation and erosion processes were closely linked to climate fluctuations, particularly during GS/GI and GI/GS tra…
Radiocarbon Dating of Highly Degraded and Problematic Fossil Wood
This paper compares various wood pretreatment methods for highly degraded, and problematic fossil wood extracted from the opencast Szczerców site of the Bełchatów Lignite Mine in Central Poland. The study evaluates the pretreatment methods using both large samples (55–255 g, referred to as series A) and small samples (36–150 mg, referred to as series B). Additionally, all preparation methods were applied to medium-sized samples (approximately 3 g…
Monitoring of Modern Carbon Fraction in Disposable Packaging
Radiocarbon ( 14 C) methodology was used to investigate the presence of biocarbon in different bio-based disposable packaging products. Packaging waste contributes to a municipal solid waste, which is increasing environmental concerns and resulting in the enhancement of EU regulations that aim to reduce packaging waste. The 14 C amount in samples reflects how much of the biocarbon has been used. In this study, the concentration of 14 C was determ…
Determination of radiocarbon content in liquid fuel blends by accelerator mass spectrometry and liquid scintillation counting in the Gliwice radiocarbon and mass spectrometry laboratory
The increase in biobased material usage requires the methods of verification to investigate the actual content of biocarbon in such materials, including liquid fuels. The determination of biocarbon in liquid samples using 14 C required adaptation of existing sample preparation methods. In this study, both accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) and liquid scintillation counting (LSC) methods were used to determine the content of 14 C in six different…
Performance of the new Micadas spectrometer at the Radiocarbon and Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, Gliwice, Poland
Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) is a worldwide recognized method for radiocarbon ( 14 C) dating. The advantageous aspects of this method include the variety of materials and the small sample size (1 mg of carbon) that can be measured. However, these pose several challenges in the laboratory, such as developing appropriate chemical pretreatment methods. In the summer of 2022, the Radiocarbon and Mass Spectrometry Laboratory in Gliwice, Poland,…
Testing the Methods for Determination of Radiocarbon Content in Liquid Fuels in the Gliwice Radiocarbon and Mass Spectrometry Laboratory
Determining the biocomponents in liquid fuels using radiocarbon radioisotope ( 14 C) dating requires sample preparation adaptations to the conditions of the Gliwice Radiocarbon and Mass Spectrometry Laboratory. Liquid scintillation counting (LSC), and accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) were investigated using six samples, including one 14 C-free fuel and modern hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO). For AMS, samples were prepared using tin capsules f…
Study of Bio-Based Carbon Fractions in Tires and Their Pyrolysis Products
Wasted tires are the great source of fuel and valuable components but could be a cause of environmental and land pollution. This study shows the detailed method for the determination of radiocarbon isotope ( 14 C) concentration in tires and their pyrolysis products. Samples are taken from truck and passenger car tires in the form of shredded rubber, pyrolysis oil and recovered carbon black. Liquid scintillation counting (LSC) and accelerator mass…
Towards the Understanding of the Present-Day Human Impact on Peatland Deposits Formed Since the Late Glacial
During the last 60 years, the thickness of the Grel peatland deposits (Polish Inner Carpathians), was decreased twice: from about 7.4 m in 1962, to 3.9 m in 2019. Pollen analyses of peat deposits performed in 1962 (Koperowa 1962) and 2019 (this study) showed that the peatland deposits have accumulated since the Oldest Dryas Stadial up to the present day. Comparative analysis of both palynological profiles was carried out, which exhibits a high co…
Radiocarbon, Trace Elements and Pb Isotope Composition of Pine Needles From a Highly Industrialized Region in Southern Poland
We determined the chemical composition of pine needles to monitor environmental contamination in an urban forest environment in the most industrialized part of southern Poland. The concentrations of radiocarbon ( 14 C), trace elements (Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Rb, Sr, Ba, Ce, Pb) and the Pb isotope composition were measured in needles from Pinus sylvestris L. growing in nine urban forests near five factories. The investigated young pine needles were c…
Late Glacial Atmospheric Radiocarbon Variations Recorded in Scots Pine ( Pinus sylvestris L.) Wood from KwiatkÓw, Central Poland
Our project aimed to construct a Scots Pine ( Pinus sylvestris L.) chronology for part of the Late Glacial and reconstruct changes in the 14 C concentrations during this period. Kwiatków (Kolska Basin, central Poland) proved to be very prospective site, in which wood from the end of Allerød was recognized. A level of organic deposits with so-called fossil forest was encountered within the late-Vistulian terrace of the low valley of the Warta rive…
Anthropogenic CO 2 Emission Records in Scots Pine Growing in the Most Industrialized Region of Poland from 1975 to 2014
Stable carbon isotope ratios and radiocarbon ( 14 C) concentrations in samples of pine wood (AD 1975–2012) from 3 sites, as well as needles (AD 2012–2014) collected from 15 sites, in a heavily urbanized area in proximity to heavy industrial factories in Poland were analyzed as bio-indicators of CO 2 emissions. The sampling sites were located at different distances from point sources. The stable isotopic composition was determined using an isotope…
Radiocarbon Age-Depth Modeling Prevents Misinterpretation of Past Vegetation Dynamics
An age-depth model based on radiocarbon dates was produced from a Holocene profile collected from a rich fen situated in the Beskid Sądecki Mountains (the Outer Western Carpathians, southern Poland). The model is compared against the results of palynological and loss on ignition (LOI) analyses supplemented by the identification of organic deposits. Five distinct palynological episodes are detected. These potential palynological age markers are cr…
Radiocarbon Age-Depth Modeling Prevents Misinterpretation of Past Vegetation Dynamics
An age-depth model based on radiocarbon dates was produced from a Holocene profile collected from a rich fen situated in the Beskid Sądecki Mountains (the Outer Western Carpathians, southern Poland). The model is compared against the results of palynological and loss on ignition (LOI) analyses supplemented by the identification of organic deposits. Five distinct palynological episodes are detected. These potential palynological age markers are cr…
The Application of Icels Systems for Radiocarbon Dating
Liquid scintillation counting (LSC) for radiocarbon dating is a less expensive method than accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS), provides a high degree of accuracy, and is less prone to contamination due to the larger sample sizes. However, to obtain high precision, a long counting time is needed. The Gliwice Radiocarbon Laboratory is seeking to obtain an increased counting capacity with 2–3 mL benzene samples than we presently can achieve with ou…
Age-Depth Model of Lake Soppensee (Switzerland) Based on the High-Resolution 14 C Chronology Compared with Varve Chronology
An age-depth model for laminated sediments of Lake Soppensee is constructed using radiocarbon ages of macrofossils and a depositional model of the OxCal v 4.1 program with the updated IntCal09 data set. The resulting calendar chronology is compared with the varve chronology that was built for this record in a previous study (Hajdas 1993); there is a very good agreement between the 2 approaches. This illustrates the potential of high-resolution 14…
Absolute Radiocarbon Chronology in the Formative Pottery Production Center of Santa Lucía, Cochabamba, Bolivia
Santa Lucía is a pottery production site dating to the Formative period (about 1600 BC to AD 200). It is located in the Cochabamba valleys of the eastern Bolivian Andes. The settlement consists of a residential area and a separate workshop area. A peripheral sector of ash mounds was used as refuse sites and burial grounds. The excavations yielded a total of 16 radiocarbon samples from all 3 sectors, which were dated at the Gliwice Radiocarbon Lab…
Dating Bones near the Limit of the Radiocarbon Dating Method
Preparation of bone material for radiocarbon dating is still a subject of investigation. In the past, the most problematic ages appeared to be the very old bones, i.e. those with ages close to the limit of the dating method. Development of preparative methods requires sufficient amounts of bone material as well as the possibility of verification of the ages. In the peat section at Niederweningen, ZH Switzerland, numerous bones of mammoth and othe…
Timescale for Climatic Events of Subboreal/Subatlantic Transition Recorded at the Valakupiai Site, Lithuania
Oxbow lake deposits of the Neris River at the Valakupiai site in Vilnius (Lithuania) have been studied by different methods including radiocarbon dating. A timescale was attained for the development of the oxbow lake and climatic events recorded in the sediments. 14 C dates obtained for 24 samples cover the range 990–6500 BP (AD 580 to 5600 BC). Medieval human activity was found in the upper part of the sediments. Mollusk fauna found in the basal…
Frequency Distribution of Radiocarbon Dates as a Tool for Reconstructing Environmental Changes
Large sets of radiocarbon dates of 1019 peat, 155 speleothem, and 100 tufa samples, as well as dates of 330 fluvial samples, were investigated in order to estimate environmental variability during the last 16,000 calendar years in Poland. All 14 C dating was carried out in the Gliwice Radiocarbon Laboratory, and results are stored in the RoS database. Probability density functions (PDFs) were created by summing up (on the calendar timescale) indi…
Is it Possible to Find a Good Point Estimate of a Calibrated Radiocarbon Date
The result from probabilistic calibration of a radiocarbon date is given in the form of a probability density function. Consequently, reporting a 68% or 95% confidence interval has became a commonly accepted practice. However, many users of 14 C dates still try to present the results of calibration as a single point. This manner of presentation is often applied during the construction of age-depth models due to its convenience and simplicity. In …
Radiocarbon Dating of the Temple of the Monkey—The Next Step Towards a Comprehensive Absolute Chronology of Pachacamac, Peru
The ongoing Ychsma Project aims to shed light on the chronology and function of the late Prehispanic period at the well-known archaeological site of Pachacamac, Peru, through extensive archaeological research. The Temple of the Monkey is a special building that has been cleared, mapped, and excavated within the general framework of the study of “pyramids with ramps,” the most common form of monumental architecture at the site. Through the applica…
Influence of 14 C Concentration Changes in the Past On Statistical Inference of Time Intervals
The influence of the calibration curve on the statistical inference of time intervals was investigated. For this purpose, the calculation of the summed probability density function was used. Computer simulations were done for batches of 11 samples, each time uniformly covering 200-yr time intervals. The results show that the calibration curve causes the summed probability density function of a group to cover a wider interval than the real-time in…
C Chronology of Mesolithic Sites from Poland and the Background of Environmental Changes
Mesolithic sites in modern Poland are mainly located in the southern part of the country. Radiocarbon dating of organic material, such as charcoals, wood, and peat, provide a time frame of human settlements in those regions, and dating of speleothems and peat formations provide information on climatic conditions and the timing of climatic change in the region. Here, we present the results of calibrated 14 C ages from 3 main Mesolithic sites: Glan…
C Absolute Chronology of Pyramid III and the Dynastic Model at Pachacamac, Peru
Pachacamac, covering an area of about 600 hectares (ha) near the Pacific shore, is one of the largest and most important archaeological sites in Peru. Most of the monumental adobe-made buildings of the later pre-Inca period (or Late Intermediate Period, about 10th–15th century AD) are so-called pyramids with ramps (the role of the ramps has been interpreted in different ways). Precise dating of the pyramids appears as a crucial step in defining t…
Dating Bones near the Limit of the Radiocarbon Dating Method
Preparation of bone material for radiocarbon dating is still a subject of investigation. In the past, the most problematic ages appeared to be the very old bones, i.e. those with ages close to the limit of the dating method. Development of preparative methods requires sufficient amounts of bone material as well as the possibility of verification of the ages. In the peat section at Niederweningen, ZH Switzerland, numerous bones of mammoth and othe…
Is it Possible to Find a Good Point Estimate of a Calibrated Radiocarbon Date
The result from probabilistic calibration of a radiocarbon date is given in the form of a probability density function. Consequently, reporting a 68% or 95% confidence interval has became a commonly accepted practice. However, many users of 14 C dates still try to present the results of calibration as a single point. This manner of presentation is often applied during the construction of age-depth models due to its convenience and simplicity. In …
C Chronology of Mesolithic Sites from Poland and the Background of Environmental Changes
Mesolithic sites in modern Poland are mainly located in the southern part of the country. Radiocarbon dating of organic material, such as charcoals, wood, and peat, provide a time frame of human settlements in those regions, and dating of speleothems and peat formations provide information on climatic conditions and the timing of climatic change in the region. Here, we present the results of calibrated 14 C ages from 3 main Mesolithic sites: Glan…
Frequency Distribution of Radiocarbon Dates as a Tool for Reconstructing Environmental Changes
Large sets of radiocarbon dates of 1019 peat, 155 speleothem, and 100 tufa samples, as well as dates of 330 fluvial samples, were investigated in order to estimate environmental variability during the last 16,000 calendar years in Poland. All 14 C dating was carried out in the Gliwice Radiocarbon Laboratory, and results are stored in the RoS database. Probability density functions (PDFs) were created by summing up (on the calendar timescale) indi…
Anthropogenic CO 2 Emission Records in Scots Pine Growing in the Most Industrialized Region of Poland from 1975 to 2014
Stable carbon isotope ratios and radiocarbon ( 14 C) concentrations in samples of pine wood (AD 1975–2012) from 3 sites, as well as needles (AD 2012–2014) collected from 15 sites, in a heavily urbanized area in proximity to heavy industrial factories in Poland were analyzed as bio-indicators of CO 2 emissions. The sampling sites were located at different distances from point sources. The stable isotopic composition was determined using an isotope…
C Absolute Chronology of Pyramid III and the Dynastic Model at Pachacamac, Peru
Pachacamac, covering an area of about 600 hectares (ha) near the Pacific shore, is one of the largest and most important archaeological sites in Peru. Most of the monumental adobe-made buildings of the later pre-Inca period (or Late Intermediate Period, about 10th–15th century AD) are so-called pyramids with ramps (the role of the ramps has been interpreted in different ways). Precise dating of the pyramids appears as a crucial step in defining t…
Radiocarbon Dating of the Temple of the Monkey—The Next Step Towards a Comprehensive Absolute Chronology of Pachacamac, Peru
The ongoing Ychsma Project aims to shed light on the chronology and function of the late Prehispanic period at the well-known archaeological site of Pachacamac, Peru, through extensive archaeological research. The Temple of the Monkey is a special building that has been cleared, mapped, and excavated within the general framework of the study of “pyramids with ramps,” the most common form of monumental architecture at the site. Through the applica…
A Computer-Based Database for Radiocarbon Dates of Central Andean Archaeology
We established a database of 14 C dates from archaeological sites of the Central Andes region of Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia on an IBM PC-compatible microcomputer running on an MS-DOS operating system using software package dBASE IV, version 1.1. Relevant data are stored in three DBF-type database files. The file ANDY.DBF contains information on dates and samples; REFERENC.DBF contains references to relevant publications and CALAND.DBF contains cal…
Performance of the new Micadas spectrometer at the Radiocarbon and Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, Gliwice, Poland
Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) is a worldwide recognized method for radiocarbon ( 14 C) dating. The advantageous aspects of this method include the variety of materials and the small sample size (1 mg of carbon) that can be measured. However, these pose several challenges in the laboratory, such as developing appropriate chemical pretreatment methods. In the summer of 2022, the Radiocarbon and Mass Spectrometry Laboratory in Gliwice, Poland,…
Radiocarbon Age-Depth Modeling Prevents Misinterpretation of Past Vegetation Dynamics
An age-depth model based on radiocarbon dates was produced from a Holocene profile collected from a rich fen situated in the Beskid Sądecki Mountains (the Outer Western Carpathians, southern Poland). The model is compared against the results of palynological and loss on ignition (LOI) analyses supplemented by the identification of organic deposits. Five distinct palynological episodes are detected. These potential palynological age markers are cr…
Study of Bio-Based Carbon Fractions in Tires and Their Pyrolysis Products
Wasted tires are the great source of fuel and valuable components but could be a cause of environmental and land pollution. This study shows the detailed method for the determination of radiocarbon isotope ( 14 C) concentration in tires and their pyrolysis products. Samples are taken from truck and passenger car tires in the form of shredded rubber, pyrolysis oil and recovered carbon black. Liquid scintillation counting (LSC) and accelerator mass…
Radiocarbon, Trace Elements and Pb Isotope Composition of Pine Needles From a Highly Industrialized Region in Southern Poland
We determined the chemical composition of pine needles to monitor environmental contamination in an urban forest environment in the most industrialized part of southern Poland. The concentrations of radiocarbon ( 14 C), trace elements (Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Rb, Sr, Ba, Ce, Pb) and the Pb isotope composition were measured in needles from Pinus sylvestris L. growing in nine urban forests near five factories. The investigated young pine needles were c…
Radiocarbon Dating of Highly Degraded and Problematic Fossil Wood
This paper compares various wood pretreatment methods for highly degraded, and problematic fossil wood extracted from the opencast Szczerców site of the Bełchatów Lignite Mine in Central Poland. The study evaluates the pretreatment methods using both large samples (55–255 g, referred to as series A) and small samples (36–150 mg, referred to as series B). Additionally, all preparation methods were applied to medium-sized samples (approximately 3 g…
Late Glacial Atmospheric Radiocarbon Variations Recorded in Scots Pine ( Pinus sylvestris L.) Wood from KwiatkÓw, Central Poland
Our project aimed to construct a Scots Pine ( Pinus sylvestris L.) chronology for part of the Late Glacial and reconstruct changes in the 14 C concentrations during this period. Kwiatków (Kolska Basin, central Poland) proved to be very prospective site, in which wood from the end of Allerød was recognized. A level of organic deposits with so-called fossil forest was encountered within the late-Vistulian terrace of the low valley of the Warta rive…
Age-Depth Model of Lake Soppensee (Switzerland) Based on the High-Resolution 14 C Chronology Compared with Varve Chronology
An age-depth model for laminated sediments of Lake Soppensee is constructed using radiocarbon ages of macrofossils and a depositional model of the OxCal v 4.1 program with the updated IntCal09 data set. The resulting calendar chronology is compared with the varve chronology that was built for this record in a previous study (Hajdas 1993); there is a very good agreement between the 2 approaches. This illustrates the potential of high-resolution 14…
Influence of 14 C Concentration Changes in the Past On Statistical Inference of Time Intervals
The influence of the calibration curve on the statistical inference of time intervals was investigated. For this purpose, the calculation of the summed probability density function was used. Computer simulations were done for batches of 11 samples, each time uniformly covering 200-yr time intervals. The results show that the calibration curve causes the summed probability density function of a group to cover a wider interval than the real-time in…
Radiocarbon and Dendrochronological Dating of Logboats from Poland
The earliest dating of samples taken from logboats found in the area of Poland was done at the Gliwice Radiocarbon Laboratory in the late 1970s and early 1980s. After a 10-year break, the study of their chronology was renewed. The 14 C dates (56) include all previously published and new, unpublished results obtained during last several years. Here, we discuss and provide probabilistic interpretation of the calendar age of the dated boats. The cal…
A Data Acquisition System for Proportional Counters at Gliwice
We present here the principal ideas of a new, fully computerized data acquisition system with pulse-rise background reduction, developed in the Gliwice Radiocarbon Laboratory, and our first results. The new system uses a microprocessor-controlled pulse and coincidence analyzer for acquisition of data from 3 of 4 proportional counter sets. The analyzer acquires and stores information on the pulse's amplitudes and rise-times and their coincidence w…
Testing the Methods for Determination of Radiocarbon Content in Liquid Fuels in the Gliwice Radiocarbon and Mass Spectrometry Laboratory
Determining the biocomponents in liquid fuels using radiocarbon radioisotope ( 14 C) dating requires sample preparation adaptations to the conditions of the Gliwice Radiocarbon and Mass Spectrometry Laboratory. Liquid scintillation counting (LSC), and accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) were investigated using six samples, including one 14 C-free fuel and modern hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO). For AMS, samples were prepared using tin capsules f…
Towards the Understanding of the Present-Day Human Impact on Peatland Deposits Formed Since the Late Glacial
During the last 60 years, the thickness of the Grel peatland deposits (Polish Inner Carpathians), was decreased twice: from about 7.4 m in 1962, to 3.9 m in 2019. Pollen analyses of peat deposits performed in 1962 (Koperowa 1962) and 2019 (this study) showed that the peatland deposits have accumulated since the Oldest Dryas Stadial up to the present day. Comparative analysis of both palynological profiles was carried out, which exhibits a high co…
The Application of Icels Systems for Radiocarbon Dating
Liquid scintillation counting (LSC) for radiocarbon dating is a less expensive method than accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS), provides a high degree of accuracy, and is less prone to contamination due to the larger sample sizes. However, to obtain high precision, a long counting time is needed. The Gliwice Radiocarbon Laboratory is seeking to obtain an increased counting capacity with 2–3 mL benzene samples than we presently can achieve with ou…
A Data Acquisition System for Proportional Counters at Gliwice
We present here the principal ideas of a new, fully computerized data acquisition system with pulse-rise background reduction, developed in the Gliwice Radiocarbon Laboratory, and our first results. The new system uses a microprocessor-controlled pulse and coincidence analyzer for acquisition of data from 3 of 4 proportional counter sets. The analyzer acquires and stores information on the pulse's amplitudes and rise-times and their coincidence w…
A Computer-Based Database for Radiocarbon Dates of Central Andean Archaeology
We established a database of 14 C dates from archaeological sites of the Central Andes region of Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia on an IBM PC-compatible microcomputer running on an MS-DOS operating system using software package dBASE IV, version 1.1. Relevant data are stored in three DBF-type database files. The file ANDY.DBF contains information on dates and samples; REFERENC.DBF contains references to relevant publications and CALAND.DBF contains cal…
Estimation of Gas Purity in a CO 2 -Filled Proportional Counter by Rise-Time Analysis
Since 1994, a new data-acquisition system with rise-time (RT) based background reduction has been in operation at the Gliwice Radiocarbon Laboratory. During long-term stability tests, we observed large shifts in the RT spectra obtained during various measurement series. These shifts caused important changes in the count rate measured with RT reduction. As a result, we have ascertained that the shifts are the consequence of variable concentration …
Radiocarbon and Dendrochronological Dating of Logboats from Poland
The earliest dating of samples taken from logboats found in the area of Poland was done at the Gliwice Radiocarbon Laboratory in the late 1970s and early 1980s. After a 10-year break, the study of their chronology was renewed. The 14 C dates (56) include all previously published and new, unpublished results obtained during last several years. Here, we discuss and provide probabilistic interpretation of the calendar age of the dated boats. The cal…
C Absolute Chronology of Pyramid III and the Dynastic Model at Pachacamac, Peru
Pachacamac, covering an area of about 600 hectares (ha) near the Pacific shore, is one of the largest and most important archaeological sites in Peru. Most of the monumental adobe-made buildings of the later pre-Inca period (or Late Intermediate Period, about 10th–15th century AD) are so-called pyramids with ramps (the role of the ramps has been interpreted in different ways). Precise dating of the pyramids appears as a crucial step in defining t…
Influence of 14 C Concentration Changes in the Past On Statistical Inference of Time Intervals
The influence of the calibration curve on the statistical inference of time intervals was investigated. For this purpose, the calculation of the summed probability density function was used. Computer simulations were done for batches of 11 samples, each time uniformly covering 200-yr time intervals. The results show that the calibration curve causes the summed probability density function of a group to cover a wider interval than the real-time in…
C Chronology of Mesolithic Sites from Poland and the Background of Environmental Changes
Mesolithic sites in modern Poland are mainly located in the southern part of the country. Radiocarbon dating of organic material, such as charcoals, wood, and peat, provide a time frame of human settlements in those regions, and dating of speleothems and peat formations provide information on climatic conditions and the timing of climatic change in the region. Here, we present the results of calibrated 14 C ages from 3 main Mesolithic sites: Glan…
Timescale for Climatic Events of Subboreal/Subatlantic Transition Recorded at the Valakupiai Site, Lithuania
Oxbow lake deposits of the Neris River at the Valakupiai site in Vilnius (Lithuania) have been studied by different methods including radiocarbon dating. A timescale was attained for the development of the oxbow lake and climatic events recorded in the sediments. 14 C dates obtained for 24 samples cover the range 990–6500 BP (AD 580 to 5600 BC). Medieval human activity was found in the upper part of the sediments. Mollusk fauna found in the basal…
Frequency Distribution of Radiocarbon Dates as a Tool for Reconstructing Environmental Changes
Large sets of radiocarbon dates of 1019 peat, 155 speleothem, and 100 tufa samples, as well as dates of 330 fluvial samples, were investigated in order to estimate environmental variability during the last 16,000 calendar years in Poland. All 14 C dating was carried out in the Gliwice Radiocarbon Laboratory, and results are stored in the RoS database. Probability density functions (PDFs) were created by summing up (on the calendar timescale) indi…
Is it Possible to Find a Good Point Estimate of a Calibrated Radiocarbon Date
The result from probabilistic calibration of a radiocarbon date is given in the form of a probability density function. Consequently, reporting a 68% or 95% confidence interval has became a commonly accepted practice. However, many users of 14 C dates still try to present the results of calibration as a single point. This manner of presentation is often applied during the construction of age-depth models due to its convenience and simplicity. In …
Radiocarbon Dating of the Temple of the Monkey—The Next Step Towards a Comprehensive Absolute Chronology of Pachacamac, Peru
The ongoing Ychsma Project aims to shed light on the chronology and function of the late Prehispanic period at the well-known archaeological site of Pachacamac, Peru, through extensive archaeological research. The Temple of the Monkey is a special building that has been cleared, mapped, and excavated within the general framework of the study of “pyramids with ramps,” the most common form of monumental architecture at the site. Through the applica…
Absolute Radiocarbon Chronology in the Formative Pottery Production Center of Santa Lucía, Cochabamba, Bolivia
Santa Lucía is a pottery production site dating to the Formative period (about 1600 BC to AD 200). It is located in the Cochabamba valleys of the eastern Bolivian Andes. The settlement consists of a residential area and a separate workshop area. A peripheral sector of ash mounds was used as refuse sites and burial grounds. The excavations yielded a total of 16 radiocarbon samples from all 3 sectors, which were dated at the Gliwice Radiocarbon Lab…
Dating Bones near the Limit of the Radiocarbon Dating Method
Preparation of bone material for radiocarbon dating is still a subject of investigation. In the past, the most problematic ages appeared to be the very old bones, i.e. those with ages close to the limit of the dating method. Development of preparative methods requires sufficient amounts of bone material as well as the possibility of verification of the ages. In the peat section at Niederweningen, ZH Switzerland, numerous bones of mammoth and othe…
The Application of Icels Systems for Radiocarbon Dating
Liquid scintillation counting (LSC) for radiocarbon dating is a less expensive method than accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS), provides a high degree of accuracy, and is less prone to contamination due to the larger sample sizes. However, to obtain high precision, a long counting time is needed. The Gliwice Radiocarbon Laboratory is seeking to obtain an increased counting capacity with 2–3 mL benzene samples than we presently can achieve with ou…
Age-Depth Model of Lake Soppensee (Switzerland) Based on the High-Resolution 14 C Chronology Compared with Varve Chronology
An age-depth model for laminated sediments of Lake Soppensee is constructed using radiocarbon ages of macrofossils and a depositional model of the OxCal v 4.1 program with the updated IntCal09 data set. The resulting calendar chronology is compared with the varve chronology that was built for this record in a previous study (Hajdas 1993); there is a very good agreement between the 2 approaches. This illustrates the potential of high-resolution 14…
Radiocarbon Age-Depth Modeling Prevents Misinterpretation of Past Vegetation Dynamics
An age-depth model based on radiocarbon dates was produced from a Holocene profile collected from a rich fen situated in the Beskid Sądecki Mountains (the Outer Western Carpathians, southern Poland). The model is compared against the results of palynological and loss on ignition (LOI) analyses supplemented by the identification of organic deposits. Five distinct palynological episodes are detected. These potential palynological age markers are cr…
Radiocarbon Age-Depth Modeling Prevents Misinterpretation of Past Vegetation Dynamics
An age-depth model based on radiocarbon dates was produced from a Holocene profile collected from a rich fen situated in the Beskid Sądecki Mountains (the Outer Western Carpathians, southern Poland). The model is compared against the results of palynological and loss on ignition (LOI) analyses supplemented by the identification of organic deposits. Five distinct palynological episodes are detected. These potential palynological age markers are cr…
Late Glacial Atmospheric Radiocarbon Variations Recorded in Scots Pine ( Pinus sylvestris L.) Wood from KwiatkÓw, Central Poland
Our project aimed to construct a Scots Pine ( Pinus sylvestris L.) chronology for part of the Late Glacial and reconstruct changes in the 14 C concentrations during this period. Kwiatków (Kolska Basin, central Poland) proved to be very prospective site, in which wood from the end of Allerød was recognized. A level of organic deposits with so-called fossil forest was encountered within the late-Vistulian terrace of the low valley of the Warta rive…
Anthropogenic CO 2 Emission Records in Scots Pine Growing in the Most Industrialized Region of Poland from 1975 to 2014
Stable carbon isotope ratios and radiocarbon ( 14 C) concentrations in samples of pine wood (AD 1975–2012) from 3 sites, as well as needles (AD 2012–2014) collected from 15 sites, in a heavily urbanized area in proximity to heavy industrial factories in Poland were analyzed as bio-indicators of CO 2 emissions. The sampling sites were located at different distances from point sources. The stable isotopic composition was determined using an isotope…
Radiocarbon, Trace Elements and Pb Isotope Composition of Pine Needles From a Highly Industrialized Region in Southern Poland
We determined the chemical composition of pine needles to monitor environmental contamination in an urban forest environment in the most industrialized part of southern Poland. The concentrations of radiocarbon ( 14 C), trace elements (Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Rb, Sr, Ba, Ce, Pb) and the Pb isotope composition were measured in needles from Pinus sylvestris L. growing in nine urban forests near five factories. The investigated young pine needles were c…
Testing the Methods for Determination of Radiocarbon Content in Liquid Fuels in the Gliwice Radiocarbon and Mass Spectrometry Laboratory
Determining the biocomponents in liquid fuels using radiocarbon radioisotope ( 14 C) dating requires sample preparation adaptations to the conditions of the Gliwice Radiocarbon and Mass Spectrometry Laboratory. Liquid scintillation counting (LSC), and accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) were investigated using six samples, including one 14 C-free fuel and modern hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO). For AMS, samples were prepared using tin capsules f…
Study of Bio-Based Carbon Fractions in Tires and Their Pyrolysis Products
Wasted tires are the great source of fuel and valuable components but could be a cause of environmental and land pollution. This study shows the detailed method for the determination of radiocarbon isotope ( 14 C) concentration in tires and their pyrolysis products. Samples are taken from truck and passenger car tires in the form of shredded rubber, pyrolysis oil and recovered carbon black. Liquid scintillation counting (LSC) and accelerator mass…
Towards the Understanding of the Present-Day Human Impact on Peatland Deposits Formed Since the Late Glacial
During the last 60 years, the thickness of the Grel peatland deposits (Polish Inner Carpathians), was decreased twice: from about 7.4 m in 1962, to 3.9 m in 2019. Pollen analyses of peat deposits performed in 1962 (Koperowa 1962) and 2019 (this study) showed that the peatland deposits have accumulated since the Oldest Dryas Stadial up to the present day. Comparative analysis of both palynological profiles was carried out, which exhibits a high co…
Radiocarbon Dating of Highly Degraded and Problematic Fossil Wood
This paper compares various wood pretreatment methods for highly degraded, and problematic fossil wood extracted from the opencast Szczerców site of the Bełchatów Lignite Mine in Central Poland. The study evaluates the pretreatment methods using both large samples (55–255 g, referred to as series A) and small samples (36–150 mg, referred to as series B). Additionally, all preparation methods were applied to medium-sized samples (approximately 3 g…
Monitoring of Modern Carbon Fraction in Disposable Packaging
Radiocarbon ( 14 C) methodology was used to investigate the presence of biocarbon in different bio-based disposable packaging products. Packaging waste contributes to a municipal solid waste, which is increasing environmental concerns and resulting in the enhancement of EU regulations that aim to reduce packaging waste. The 14 C amount in samples reflects how much of the biocarbon has been used. In this study, the concentration of 14 C was determ…
Radiocarbon dating (27 works) · Geology (24 works) · Archaeology (20 works) · Geography (16 works) · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies (15 works) · Paleontology (15 works) · Geology and Paleoclimatology Research (11 works) · Chemistry (10 works) · Physical geography (10 works) · Accelerator mass spectrometry (8 works)