Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-r5zm4 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-23T05:23:28.542Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The Carbonate 14C Background and its Components at the Leibniz AMS Facility

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 July 2016

Markus Schleicher
Affiliation:
Leibniz-Labor für Altersbestimmung und Isotopenforschung, Christian-Albrechts-Universität Max-Eyth-Str. 11–13, D-24118 Kiel, Germany
Pieter M. Grootes
Affiliation:
Leibniz-Labor für Altersbestimmung und Isotopenforschung, Christian-Albrechts-Universität Max-Eyth-Str. 11–13, D-24118 Kiel, Germany
Marie-Josée Nadeau
Affiliation:
Leibniz-Labor für Altersbestimmung und Isotopenforschung, Christian-Albrechts-Universität Max-Eyth-Str. 11–13, D-24118 Kiel, Germany
Axel Schoon
Affiliation:
Leibniz-Labor für Altersbestimmung und Isotopenforschung, Christian-Albrechts-Universität Max-Eyth-Str. 11–13, D-24118 Kiel, Germany
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

After routine accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon dating had been established at the Leibniz-Labor with the completion of systems for CO2 production, graphitization, and target making, a systematic investigation was conducted to find the sources of 14C concentrations observed in background materials. We quantified the contributions of the AMS-system, the reduction, CO2 production from carbonate, carbonate contamination, and combustion. Carbonate contamination appears to be the dominating factor. Improvements in the pretreatment of foraminifer carbonate have led to the elimination of most of this contamination.

Type
Part 1: Methods
Copyright
Copyright © The American Journal of Science 

References

Beukens, R. P. 1990 High-precision intercomparison at Isotrace. In Scott, E. M., Long, A. and Kra, R. S., eds., Proceedings of the International Workshop on Intercomparison of Radiocarbon Laboratories. Radiocarbon 32(3): 335339.Google Scholar
Gillespie, R. and Hedges, R. E. M. 1984 Laboratory contamination in radiocarbon accelerator mass spectrometry. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B5: 294296.Google Scholar
Grootes, P. M., Stuiver, M., Farwell, G. W., Leach, D. D. and Schmidt, F. H. 1986 14C Dating with the University of Washington AMS-System. In Stuiver, M. and Kra, R. S., eds., Proceedings of the 12th International 14C Conference. Radiocarbon 28(2): 237245.Google Scholar
Gulliksen, S. and Thomsen, M. S. 1992 Examination of background contamination levels for gas counting and AMS target preparation in Trondheim. In Long, A. and Kra, R. S., eds., Proceedings of the 14th International 14C Conference. Radiocarbon 34(3): 312317.Google Scholar
Kirner, D. L., Taylor, R. E. and Southon, J. R. 1995 Reduction in backgrounds of microsamples for C-14 AMS dating. In Cook, G. T., Harkness, D. D., Miller, B. F. and Scott, E. M., eds., Proceedings of the 15th International 14C Conference. Radiocarbon 37(2): 697704.Google Scholar
Kretschmer, W., Anton, G., Bergmann, M., Finckh, E., Kowalzik, B., Klein, M., Leigart, M., Merz, S., Morgenroth, G. and Piringer, I. 1997 The Erlangen AMS facility: Status report and research program. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B123: 9396.Google Scholar
Nadeau, M.-J., Grootes, P. M., Schleicher, M., Hasselberg, P., Rieck, A., and Bitterling, M. 1998 Sample throughput and data quality at the Leibniz-Labor AMS facility. Radiocarbon, this issue.Google Scholar
Nadeau, M.-J., Schleicher, M., Grootes, P. M., Erlenkeuser, H., Gottdang, A., Mous, D. J. W., Sarnthein, J. M., and Willkomm, H. 1997 The Leibniz-Labor AMS facility at the Christian-Albrechts-University, Kiel, Germany. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B123: 2230.Google Scholar
van der Borg, K., Alderliesten, C., de Jong, A. F. M., van den Brink, A., de Haas, A. P., Kersemaekers, H. J. H. and Raaymakers, J. E. M. J. 1997 Precision and mass fractionation in 14C analysis with AMS. In Jull, A. J. T., Beck, J. W., and Burr, G. S., eds., Proceedings of the 7th International Symposium on Accelerator Mass Spectrometry. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B123: 97101.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vogel, J. S., Nelson, D. E. and Southon, J. R. 1987 14C Background levels in an accelerator mass spectrometry system. Radiocarbon 29(3): 323329.Google Scholar