Speaker
Dr
Ivo Světlík
(Nuclear Physics Institute AS CR)
Description
A calibration curve IntCal has been applied for radiocarbon dating of terrestrial samples to correct fine variations of 14C activity in the environment. The calibration curve has been constructed from precise determinations of 14C levels in sample sequences (e.g. tree rings, lake varves, coral layers, etc.). The age determinations of these samples have been carried out using other dating methods (e.g. dendrochronology, varve chronology, U/Th dating). The resulting calibration curve is a relation between years of calibrated age (real age) and 14C activity (usually reported in years BP of Conventional Radiocarbon Age, following generally accepted Stuiver-Polach convention). For this purpose, the IntCal13 (2013) curve has been constructed, a more precise version of previously published IntCal09. The headway of this curve seems to be close to the linear relation in millennia scales. Nevertheless, the time course of the curve can be complicated considerably, if the scale expands on centuries or decades. Four characteristic shapes of the IntCal13 substructures, and implying limitations and possibilities of radiocarbon dating will be described in our presentation. Likewise, responsible mechanisms, connected with changes of environmental carbon (CO2) and 14C (14CO2) transport, will also be discussed.
Primary author
Dr
Ivo Světlík
(Nuclear Physics Institute AS CR)
Co-authors
Mrs
Lenka Tomaskova
(Nuclear Physics Institute AS CR)
Prof.
Pavel Povinec
(Department of Nuclear Physics and Biophysics, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics, Comenius University, SK-842 48 Bratislava, Slovakia)
