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Raimund Muscheler

Raimund Muscheler

Professor

Raimund Muscheler

Intercomparison of C-14 Dating of Wood Samples at Lund University and Eth-Zurich Ams Facilities: Extraction, Graphitization, and Measurement

Author

  • Florian Adolphi
  • D. Guettler
  • L. Wacker
  • Göran Skog
  • Raimund Muscheler

Summary, in English

We conducted an interlaboratory comparison between our radiocarbon-related research group at Lund University and the established ETH-Zurich facility to test the quality of the results obtained in Lund and to identify sources of potential background differences and scatter. We did find differences between the 2 laboratories in the contributions of chemical preparation, graphitization, and measurements to the overall background. The resulting overall background is, however, almost similar. Multiple measurements on 2 wood samples of known calendar age yield consistent and accurate C-14 ages in both laboratories. However, one of our known samples indicates that IntCal09 is similar to 38 +/- 16 C-14 BP too young at 7020 calendar yr BP, which is consistent with one of the raw data sets contributing to IntCal09. Overall, our results show that a systematic approach to compare the different steps involved in C-14 age determination is a useful exercise to pinpoint targets for improvement of lab routines and assess interlaboratory differences. These effects do not necessarily become apparent when comparing C-14 measurements that integrate over the whole process of preparation and measurement of different laboratories.

Department/s

  • Quaternary Sciences
  • MERGE: ModElling the Regional and Global Earth system
  • BECC: Biodiversity and Ecosystem services in a Changing Climate

Publishing year

2013

Language

English

Pages

391-400

Publication/Series

Radiocarbon

Volume

55

Issue

2-3

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Arizona Board of Regents (University of Arizona)

Topic

  • Geology

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 0033-8222