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Studies Towards a Method for Radiocalcium Dating of Bones

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 July 2016

Walter Kutschera
Affiliation:
Physics Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439
Irshad Ahmad
Affiliation:
Physics Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439
P J Billquist
Affiliation:
Physics Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439
B G Glagola
Affiliation:
Physics Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439
Karen Furer
Affiliation:
Physics Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439
R C Pardo
Affiliation:
Physics Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439
Michael Paul
Affiliation:
Racah Institute of Physics, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
K E Rehm
Affiliation:
Physics Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439
P J Slota Jr
Affiliation:
Radiocarbon Laboratory, Department of Anthropology, University of California, Riverside 92521
R E Taylor
Affiliation:
Radiocarbon Laboratory, Department of Anthropology, University of California, Riverside 92521
J L Yntema
Affiliation:
Physics Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439
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Abstract

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We made preliminary AMS measurements of 41Ca/Ca ratios in bone and limestone specimens with the Argonne Tandem-Linac Accelerator System (ATLAS). We were able to avoid pre-enrichment of 41Ca used in previous experiments due to a substantial increase in Ca-beam intensity. Most of the measured ratios lie in the 10-14 range, with a few values below 10-14. In general, these values are higher than the ones observed by the AMS group at the University of Pennsylvania. We discuss possible implications of these results. We also present the current status of half-life measurements of 41Ca and discuss 41Ca production processes on earth.

Type
I. Sample Preparation and Measurement Techniques
Copyright
Copyright © The American Journal of Science 

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