1. A Better Radiocarbon Clock.
- Author
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Bard, Edouard, Rostek, Frauke, and Ménot-Combes, Guillemette
- Subjects
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CHRONOMETERS , *ARCHAEOLOGY , *ANTIQUITIES , *GEOCHEMISTRY , *PALEOCLIMATOLOGY , *CLIMATE change - Abstract
An accurate chronometer that covers the past 50,000 years is a fundamental tool for geology and archaeology. Accurate dating is essential to understand crucial time in human evolution. Accurate dating is also of paramount importance in fields such as geophysics, geochemistry, and paleoclimatology. The main chronometer for this time range is radiocarbon (14C), but its use is not free of perils. This is because the atmospheric 14C/12C ratio — the starting point of the radiocarbon clock — varies over time. To obtain accurate dates, these fluctuations must be accounted for with a calibration curve. Fossil trees have been used to produce a high-resolution tree-ring calibration, which has been extended with data from layered sediments and tropical corals.
- Published
- 2004
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