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Raimund Muscheler

Raimund Muscheler

Professor

Raimund Muscheler

Radiocarbon : A key tracer for studying Earth’s dynamo, climate system, carbon cycle, and Sun

Author

  • T. J. Heaton
  • E. Bard
  • C. Bronk Ramsey
  • M. Butzin
  • P. Köhler
  • R. Muscheler
  • P. J. Reimer
  • L. Wacker

Summary, in English

Radiocarbon (14C), as a consequence of its production in the atmosphere and subsequent dispersal through the carbon cycle, is a key tracer for studying the Earth system. Knowledge of past 14C levels improves our understanding of climate processes, the Sun, the geodynamo, and the carbon cycle. Recently updated radiocarbon calibration curves (IntCal20, SHCal20, and Marine20) provide unprecedented accuracy in our estimates of 14C levels back to the limit of the 14C technique (~55,000 years ago). Such improved detail creates new opportunities to probe the Earth and climate system more reliably and at finer scale. We summarize the advances that have underpinned this revised set of radiocarbon calibration curves, survey the broad scientific landscape where additional detail on past 14C provides insight, and identify open challenges for the future.

Department/s

  • Quaternary Sciences
  • MERGE: ModElling the Regional and Global Earth system

Publishing year

2021-11

Language

English

Publication/Series

Science

Volume

374

Issue

6568

Document type

Journal article review

Publisher

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

Topic

  • Earth and Related Environmental Sciences

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 0036-8075