The Best possible Time resolution: How precise could a Radiocarbon dating method be?

0519082 - ÚJF 2020 RIV US eng J - Journal Article
Světlík, Ivo - Jull, A. J. T. - Molnár, M. - Povinec, P. P. - Kolář, Tomáš - Demján, Peter - Pachnerová Brabcová, Kateřina - Brychová, Veronika - Dreslerová, Dagmar - Rybníček, Michal - Šimek, Pavel
The Best possible Time resolution: How precise could a Radiocarbon dating method be?
Radiocarbon. Roč. 61, č. 6 (2019), s. 1729-1740. ISSN 0033-8222. E-ISSN 1945-5755.
[23rd International Radiocarbon Conference. Trondheim, 17.06.2018-22.06.2018]
R&D Projects: GA MŠMT EF16_019/0000728; GA ČR(CZ) GA17-22102S
Institutional support: RVO:86652079 ; RVO:67985912 ; RVO:61389005
Keywords : curve of time resolution * IntCal13 * radiocarbon dating * tree rings
OECD category: Atomic, molecular and chemical physics (physics of atoms and molecules including collision, interaction with radiation, magnetic resonances, Mössbauer effect); Archaeology (ARU-G); Paper and wood (UEK-B)
Impact factor: 1.975, year: 2019
Method of publishing: Limited access
https://doi.org/10.1017/RDC.2019.134

Today, accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) technology enables us to carry out very precise measurements of radiocarbon (C-14). Unfortunately, due to fluctuations in the C-14 calibration curve, the resulting calibrated time intervals vary from decades up to centuries in calibrated age. Within a time scale of several decades, we can find several time intervals on the C-14 calibration curve which correspond with periods of rapid increases in atmospheric (CO2)-C-14 activity. Some of these 'high slope' parts of the calibration curve could be used for fine time resolution for radiocarbon dating of individual samples. Nevertheless, there are certain limitations owing to the properties of the samples measured. We have prepared a time-resolution curve for the C-14 dating method, applying calibration curve IntCal13 and assuming an uncertainty of C-14 analyses +/- 15 yr BP (for recent samples). Our curve of the time resolution covers the last 50 ka. We found several time intervals with time resolution below 50 yr BP for the last 3 ka. Several time intervals which can enable substantially better time resolution compared to neighboring parts of the calibration curve were also found for periods older than 3 ka.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0304103