Variations in the Atmospheric Radiocarbon Concentration over the Past 1300 Years

Willis, E. H.; Tauber, Henrik; Münnich, K. O.

doi:10.1017/s1061592x00020548

Cited by 75 publications

(35 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…Variations in atmospheric 14C content complicate the conversion of conventional 14C ages BP (i.e., years before AD 1950) into real calendar ages (AD/BC) (de Vries 1958;Willis, Tauber & Munnich 1960). These variations are indirectly observed in tree rings from European and North American wood.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Groningen Radiocarbon Calibration Program

Plicht

1993

Radiocarbon

135

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Variations in atmospheric 14C content complicate the conversion of conventional 14C ages BP (i.e., years before AD 1950) into real calendar ages (AD/BC) (de Vries 1958; Willis, Tauber & Münnich 1960). These variations are indirectly observed in tree rings from European and North American wood. In recent decades, measurements made on dendrochronologically dated wood have resulted in the generally accepted Stuiver and Pearson calibration curves. These curves, together with other calibration data, were published in the first Radiocarbon Calibration Issue (Stuiver & Kra 1986), and are extended in the present Calibration Issue (Stuiver, Long & Kra 1993).

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Groningen Radiocarbon Calibration Program

Plicht

1993

Radiocarbon

135

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“…However, several other investigators used different tree-ring sequences to determine their sample ages. They at least qualitatively confirmed de Vries' results (Broecker, Olson & Bird, 1959;Willis, Tauber & Munnich, 1960;Ralph, 1959). As the cause of the 14C variations, these investigators considered changes in the 14C production rate through modulation of the cosmic ray flux by solar activity (see also Suess, 1958Suess, , 1968.…”

Section: The De Vries Variationsmentioning

confidence: 55%

Secular Variations of Cosmogenic ¹⁴C on Earth: Their Discovery and Interpretation

Sueß

1986

Radiocarbon

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ABSTRACT. Measurement of 14C in samples of wood of precisely known age have shown that the cosmogenic 14C content of the CO2 in the atmosphere has not remained constant during the period of time covered by radiocarbon dating. As the terrestrial atmosphere mixes with a time constant of less than 3 years, these variations must be essentially independent of geographic location. The 14C in atmospheric CO2 must be a quantity that, at a given time, pertains to the terrestrial atmosphere as a whole. Not only is its knowledge necessary for deriving accurate radiocarbon dates, but it is also valuable in connection with many geophysical and astrophysical problems. Unfortunately, progress in our knowledge of 14C variations in the terrestrial atmosphere has been delayed by hidden experimental errors in results obtained by many laboratories. By rigorous statistical analysis of the La Jolla results, it is now possible to show that the 14C variations are not simple random fluctuations but show distinct regularities. Similar patterns of variations have been found in the growth rate of trees during the last 5000 years. Measurements of radiogenic 10Be currently being done by European workers promise to conclusively elucidate the 14C findings. THE DE VRIES VARIATIONSWillard F Libby, at the time when he and his co-workers published the first results of radiocarbon measurements around 1950(Libby, 1952, believed that the exchange of the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere with the bicarbonate of the oceans occurred quickly compared to all other changes in the ocean-atmosphere system. He, therefore, assumed that ocean and atmosphere can be considered as one and the same large carbon reservoir, reacting, as Libby put it, to changes in the 14C production rate "only extremely sluggishly." Libby considered variations such as those observed by H de Vries (1958) in the 14C content of wood from the 15th and 17th centuries AD to be within the experimental error of the measurements. However, I had been able to show (Suess, 1953) that the exchange rate of carbon dioxide between atmosphere and ocean was not sufficiently fast to exclude the possibility of variations of a few per cent, as indicated by the measurements of de Vries. In order to explain the results obtained by de Vries, Libby had also suggested the consideration of possible errors in the dendrochronologic dating that de Vries (pers commun, 1954) had used for his measurements. However, several other investigators used different tree-ring sequences to determine their sample ages. They at least qualitatively confirmed de Vries' results (Broecker, Olson & Bird, 1959;Willis, Tauber & Munnich, 1960;Ralph, 1959). As the cause of the 14C variations, these investigators considered changes in the 14C production rate through modulation of the cosmic ray flux by solar activity (see also Suess, 1958Suess, , 1968. This matter has been discussed from a more quantitative viewpoint by Stuiver (1961) and by Stuiver and Quay (1980 (Suess, 1970). This curve reached back to 5400 BC, as far back in tim...

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“…1. One sees evidence of the oscillations noted by de Vries (1958), Broecker, Olson, and Bird (1959), Willis, Tauber, and Munnich (1960), Suess (1961), and Damon (1963) (Douglass, 1936(Douglass, , 1949 (Douglass, 1928(Douglass, , 1949. Sec, has age span from 1119 B.C.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 90%

University of Pennsylvania Dates VII

1965

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Measurements of samples of known age have been undertaken in this laboratory since its beginning in 1951 when it was found that modern wood samples taken from the outer rings of young trees did not afford a basis of counter calibration consistent with archaeologically dated samples (Ralph, 1955). This depletion was explained by Suess (1955). Subsequent measurements of samples representative of the early Egyptian dynasties, however, revealed that even with the counter calibration corrected for the modern depletion, there was a discrepancy between C14 dates and the early Egyptian chronology (Arnold and Libby, 1951; deVries, Barendsen, and Waterbolk, 1958; deVries and Waterbolk, 1958; Barker and Mackay, 1959, 1961; Ralph, 1959; Damon and Long, 1962). Obviously, there was, and still is, a need to find samples of known age for this time range. Dendrochronology may ultimately provide the answer, and in the meantime tree-ring dated samples have afforded a means of assessing the atmospheric C14 inventory during the last 3000 yr.

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Variations in the Atmospheric Radiocarbon Concentration over the Past 1300 Years

Cited by 75 publications

References 5 publications

The Groningen Radiocarbon Calibration Program

The Groningen Radiocarbon Calibration Program

Secular Variations of Cosmogenic ¹⁴C on Earth: Their Discovery and Interpretation

University of Pennsylvania Dates VII

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Variations in the Atmospheric Radiocarbon Concentration over the Past 1300 Years

Cited by 75 publications

References 5 publications

The Groningen Radiocarbon Calibration Program

The Groningen Radiocarbon Calibration Program

Secular Variations of Cosmogenic 14C on Earth: Their Discovery and Interpretation

University of Pennsylvania Dates VII

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Secular Variations of Cosmogenic ¹⁴C on Earth: Their Discovery and Interpretation