Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dlnhk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T20:49:05.940Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Variability in Radiocarbon Dates in Middle Pleniglacial Wood from Kurtak (Central Siberia)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 July 2016

P Haesaerts ,
F Damblon ,
N Drozdov ,
V Checha  and
J van der Plicht
P Haesaerts*
Affiliation:
Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels, Belgium
F Damblon
Affiliation:
Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels, Belgium
N Drozdov
Affiliation:
Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, Academgorodok, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
V Checha
Affiliation:
Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, Academgorodok, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
J van der Plicht
Affiliation:
Center for Isotope Research, Groningen University, Nijenborgh 4,9747 AG Groningen, the Netherlands. Also: Faculty of Archaeology, Leiden University, PO Box 9515, 2300RA Leiden, the Netherlands
*
2. Corresponding author. Email: [email protected].
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The chronology of long Upper Pleistocene loess sequences in Eurasia is based on combined pedostratigraphy and radiocarbon dating of high-quality charcoal. The accuracy of such a chronology depends on the reproducibility and precision of the 14C dates. However, certain dates may show discrepancies with regard to their chronostratigraphic context based on series of coherent dates. In order to evaluate the consistency and variation in the 14C dates obtained from small charcoal pieces, this question was tested on a set of spruce wood remains with well-preserved tree rings found in the Middle Pleniglacial loess-loam sequence of Kurtak (central Siberia). Tree-ring analysis of five fairly large wood pieces from three successive layers, dated to about 30.0, 30.8, and 32.2–32.5 ka BP previously, was done by continuous sampling of 90–150 rings on each wood piece. This enabled direct comparison of the succession of tree rings with the 14C dates. A total of 133 dates was obtained for the five wood pieces. The results show fluctuations in the 14C dates within a time range between 1000 and 2000 yr. Four possible causes for such variation will be discussed herein: (1) internal variability of the AMS dating method; (2) outliers; (3) variations in the 14C background; and (4) external factors such as past atmospheric 14C variations.

Type
Articles
Information
Radiocarbon , Volume 56 , Issue 3 , 2014 , pp. 1195 - 1206
Copyright
Copyright © 2014 by the Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Beck, JW, Richards, DA, Edward, RL, Silverman, BW, Smart, PL, Donahue, DJ, Herrera-Osterheld, S, Burr, GS, Calsoyas, L, Jull, AJT, Biddulph, D. 2001. Extremely large variations of atmospheric 14C concentration during the last glacial period. Science 292(5526):2453–8.Google Scholar
Conard, NJ, Bolus, M. 2003. Radiocarbon dating the appearance of modern humans and timing of cultural innovations in Europe: new results and new challenges. Journal of Human Evolution 44(3):331–71.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Damblon, F, Haesaerts, P. 2007. Les datations 14C à Mitoc-Malu Galben. In: Otte, M, Chirica, V, Haesaerts, P, directors. L'Aurignacien et le Gravettien de Mitoc-Malu Galben (Moldavie roumaine). ERAUL Liège 72. p 53–65.Google Scholar
Haesaerts, P, Chekha, P, Damblon, F, Drozdov, I, Orlova, A, van der Plicht, J. 2005. The loess-palaeosol succession of Kurtak (Yenisei basin, Siberia): a reference record for the Karga stage (MIS 3). Quaternaire 16(1):3–24.Google Scholar
Haesaerts, P, Borziac, I, Chekha, VP, Chirica, V, Damblon, F, Drozdov, NI, Orlova, LA, Pirson, S, van der Plicht, J. 2009. Climatic signature and radiocarbon chronology of Middle and Late Pleniglacial loess from Eurasia: comparison with the marine and Greenland records. Radiocarbon 51(1):301–18.Google Scholar
Haesaerts, P, Borziac, I, Chekha, VP, Chirica, V, Drozdov, NI, Koulakovska, L, Orlova, LA, van der Plicht, J, Damblon, F. 2010. Charcoal and wood remains for radiocarbon dating Upper Pleistocene loess sequences in Eastern Europe and Central Siberia. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 291(1–2):106–27.Google Scholar
Juday, GP, Barber, V, Duffy, P, Linderholm, H, Rupp, S, Sparrow, S, Vaganov, E, Yarie, J. 2012. Direct climate effects on tree growth in the Arctic. International Arctic Science Committee. 25 p. http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/151734/.Google Scholar
Kitagawa, H, van der Plicht, J. 2000. Atmospheric radiocarbon calibration beyond 11,900 cal BP from Lake Suigetsu laminated sediments. Radiocarbon 42(3):369–80.Google Scholar
Magda, VN, Zelenova, AV. 2002. Radial growth of pine as an indicator of atmosphere humidity in Minusinsk hollow. Izvestiya Russkogo Geograficheskogo Obshchestva 134(1):73–8. In Russian.Google Scholar
Schweingruber, FH. 1996. Tree Rings and Environment. Dendroecology. Bern: Paul Haupt.Google Scholar
Turney, CSM, Fifield, LK, Palmer, JG, Hogg, AG, Baillie, MGL, Galbraith, R, Ogden, J, Lorrey, A, Tims, SG. 2007. Towards a radiocarbon calibration for Oxygen Isotope Stage 3 using New Zealand kauri (Agathis australis) . Radiocarbon 49(2):447–57.Google Scholar
Turney, CSM, Fifield, LK, Hogg, AG, Palmer, JG, Hughen, K, Baillie, MGL, Galbraith, R, Ogden, J, Lorrey, A, Tims, SG, Jones, RT. 2010. The potential of New Zealand kauri (Agathis australis) for testing the synchronicity of abrupt climate change during the Last Glacial Interval (60,000–11,700 years ago). Quaternary Science Reviews 29(27–28):3677–82.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
van der Plicht, J, Imamura, M, Sakamoto, M. 2012. Dating of Late Pleistocene tree-ring series from Japan. Radiocarbon 54(3–4):625–33.Google Scholar
Voelker, AHL, Grootes, PM, Nadeau, M-J, Sarnthein, M. 2000. Radiocarbon levels in the Iceland Sea from 25–53 kyr and their link to the Earth's magnetic field intensity. Radiocarbon 42(3):437–52.CrossRefGoogle Scholar