Marine Radiocarbon Reservoir Effects for the Mesolithic and Medieval Periods in the Western Isles of Scotland

Ascough, Philippa; Church, Mike J.

doi:10.1017/rdc.2016.99

Cited by 8 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 55 publications

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“…These data suggest there is no significant difference in the reservoir effect from the LIA2 to LN period at the site. This ΔR value of -65 ± 46 is also consistent with the previously reported ΔR values for the North Atlantic, including the (Inner, and Outer) Hebridian Islands of -47 ± 52 for the period 3500 BC-1450 cal AD (Reimer et al 2002;Ascough et al 2004Ascough et al , 2005Ascough et al , 2006Ascough et al , 2007Ascough et al , 2009Ascough et al , 2017Russell et al 2010Russell et al , 2015; see supplementary material S4).…”

Section: δR Value Determinationsupporting

confidence: 91%

Compound-Specific Radiocarbon, Stable Carbon Isotope and Biomarker Analysis of Mixed Marine/Terrestrial Lipids Preserved in Archaeological Pottery Vessels

et al. 2020

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At archaeological sites located on islands or near the coast, the potential exists for lipid extracts of potsherds to contain fatty acids (FA) from both aquatic and terrestrial organisms, meaning that consideration must be given to marine reservoir effects (MRE) in radiocarbon (14C) analyses. Here we studied the site of Bornais (Outer Hebrides, UK) where a local MRE, ΔR of –65 ± 45 yr was determined through the paired 14C determinations of terrestrial and marine faunal bones. Lipid analysis of 49 potsherds, revealed aquatic biomarkers in 45% of the vessels, and δ13C values of C16:0 and C18:0 FAs revealed ruminant and marine product mixing for 71% of the vessels. Compound-specific 14C analysis (CSRA) of FAs yielded intermediate 14C ages between those of terrestrial and marine bones from the same contexts, confirming an MRE existed. A database containing δ13C values for FAs from reference terrestrial and marine organisms provided endmembers for calculating the percentage marine-derived C (% marine ) in FAs. We show that lipid 14C dates can be corrected using determined % marine and ΔR values, such that pottery vessels from coastal locations can be 14C dated by CSRA of FAs.

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Section: δR Value Determinationsupporting

confidence: 91%

Compound-Specific Radiocarbon, Stable Carbon Isotope and Biomarker Analysis of Mixed Marine/Terrestrial Lipids Preserved in Archaeological Pottery Vessels

et al. 2020

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“…Alternatively, Reimer and Reimer (2016) propose the use of a convolution integral to obtain a confidence interval for a ΔR value derived from the paired-samples approach. Ascough et al (2017), using the paired approach, compared the Russell, Cook, Ascough, Scott, and Dugmore (2011) and Reimer and Reimer (2016) methods for the calculation of ΔR values and found the results to be indistinguishable. The larger confidence intervals derived from the latter make it the more conservative one.…”

Section: Methodological Approaches To Assessing the Mrementioning

confidence: 99%

The Worldwide Marine Radiocarbon Reservoir Effect: Definitions, Mechanisms, and Prospects

Alves

Macario

Ascough

et al. 2018

Reviews of Geophysics

116

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When a carbon reservoir has a lower radiocarbon content than the atmosphere, this is referred to as a reservoir effect. This is expressed as an offset between the radiocarbon ages of samples from the two reservoirs at a single point in time. The marine reservoir effect (MRE) has been a major concern in the radiocarbon community, as it introduces an additional source of error that is often difficult to accurately quantify. For this reason, researchers are often reluctant to date marine material where they have another option. The influence of this phenomenon makes the study of the MRE important for a broad range of applications. The advent of Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) has reduced sample size requirements and increased measurement precision, in turn increasing the number of studies seeking to measure marine samples. These studies rely on overcoming the influence of the MRE on marine radiocarbon dates through the worldwide quantification of the local parameter ΔR, that is, the local variation from the global average MRE. Furthermore, the strong dependence on ocean dynamics makes the MRE a useful indicator for changes in oceanic circulation, carbon exchange between reservoirs, and the fate of atmospheric CO2, all of which impact Earth's climate. This article explores data from the http://calib.qub.ac.uk/marine/ and reviews the place of natural radiocarbon in oceanic records, focusing on key questions (e.g., changes in ocean dynamics) that have been answered by MRE studies and on their application to different subjects.

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“…Calibration of radiocarbon ages was achieved with OxCal 4.3 39 . We used the Marine13 calibration curve 40 which provides a time-dependant offset from the atmospheric IntCal13 curve for the global ocean, and applied a local correction (ΔR) of 64 ± 41 14 C yr 41 . The dated specimens were put in relative stratigraphic order and crossmatched with each other following the methods described in ref.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…6 from sediment core 28–03 (60.867°N, 3.733°E) which covers the 8.2 ka event in the northern North Sea with an average temporal resolution of 7 years. The age model for this core was updated using the Marine13 calibration curve 40 with a local ΔR correction of 64 ± 41 14 C yr 41 . We arbitrarily used the median of each re-calibrated age range and converted core depth by linearly interpolating the dates.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

8.2 ka event North Sea hydrography determined by bivalve shell stable isotope geochemistry

Estrella-Martínez

Ascough

Schöne

et al. 2019

Sci Rep

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The abrupt 8.2 ka cold event has been widely described from Greenland and North Atlantic records. However, its expression in shelf seas is poorly documented, and the temporal resolution of most marine records is inadequate to precisely determine the chronology of major events. A robust hydrographical reconstruction can provide an insight on climatic reaction times to perturbations to the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation. Here we present an annually-resolved temperature and water column stratification reconstruction based on stable isotope geochemistry of Arctica islandica shells from the Fladen Ground (northern North Sea) temporally coherent with Greenland ice core records. Our age model is based on a growth increment chronology obtained from four radiometrically-dated shells covering the 8290–8100 cal BP interval. Our results indicate that a sudden sea level rise (SSLR) event-driven column stratification occurred between ages 8320–8220 cal BP. Thirty years later, cold conditions inhibited water column stratification but an eventual incursion of sub-Arctic waters into the North Sea re-established density-driven stratification. The water temperatures reached their minimum of ~3.7 °C 55 years after the SSLR. Intermittently-mixed conditions were later established when the sub-Arctic waters receded.

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Marine Radiocarbon Reservoir Effects for the Mesolithic and Medieval Periods in the Western Isles of Scotland

Cited by 8 publications

References 55 publications

Compound-Specific Radiocarbon, Stable Carbon Isotope and Biomarker Analysis of Mixed Marine/Terrestrial Lipids Preserved in Archaeological Pottery Vessels

Compound-Specific Radiocarbon, Stable Carbon Isotope and Biomarker Analysis of Mixed Marine/Terrestrial Lipids Preserved in Archaeological Pottery Vessels

The Worldwide Marine Radiocarbon Reservoir Effect: Definitions, Mechanisms, and Prospects

8.2 ka event North Sea hydrography determined by bivalve shell stable isotope geochemistry

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