B. P. Konstantinov and G. E. Kocharov (1965, 1967) addressed the complex problem of astrophysical phenomena and radiocarbon. Currently available data show that the determination of cosmogenic 14C in accurately dated samples of terrestrial and atmospheric origin is one of the most reliable and promising methods for studying cosmic-ray variations in the past. 14C dating samples of terrestrial origin has helped solve the problem of long-term (100 yr or more) 14C variations and, accordingly, of cosmic-ray variations in the past. Short-term (ca. 11 yr or less) variations are still under investigation (Alexeyev et al. 1971; Damon, Long and Wallick 1973).

We discuss our progress in three principal applications of 14C dating of recent and fossil soils: 1) new methods; 2) problems of interpreting 14C soil data (e.g.,14C age of soils, age of soils, duration of humus formation, rate of carbon cycling); and 3) 14C analysis of soil organic matter (OM) in pedology and paleogeography (e.g., soil genesis and evolution, humus formation and OM metamorphosis, geochronology and stratigraphy of Late Pleistocene and Holocene sediments). We suggest exploring the above issues in the analysis of each 14C profile in conjunction with paleogeographical data, and by simulation of the carbon cycle in each type of profile.

We present here a model of humus accumulation in recent soils. We have estimated the coefficients of mineralization of humus and humic acid for a typical Chernozem soil. We suggest a technique for calculating the renewal time of soil with specific activity higher than the modern standard and discuss the results for different soils.

Variable 14C ages of paleosol organic matter (OM) cause difficulties in interpreting 14C data. We attempt to determine the reliability of OM 14C dates by examining different carbon-containing materials from soil horizons and paleosol fractions.

Geochemical and palynological data as well as radiocarbon dating were used to study the peat bog deposits in Niinsarre bog, northeast Estonia. The aim of this study was to establish criteria for determining a detailed chronology, which is important, for example, in studying paleoevents and historical monitoring. In some cases, we can use cumulative pollen data, as well as cumulative chemical and peat bulk density data.

We demonstrate here that the use of either the acid-alkali or Longin method alone does not fully extract contaminants from bone-collagen fractions. We present our methods and results of extracting bone collagen that involve successive use of both of these methods.

The important problem of contamination of old samples by younger 14C necessitates treatment of organic and carbonate samples to ensure more complete removal of contaminating carbon. Here we present studies of chemical procedures for the liquid scintillation method of 14C dating undertaken since 1960 in the former USSR. We discuss new procedures such as lithium carbide synthesis from charred organic samples and benzene synthesis on a V2O5·Al2O3·SiO2 catalyst, as well as memory effect in the carbide synthesis procedure and characteristics of two homemade counters.

14C chronology of Late Pleistocene paleogeographical events in the Black Sea–Caspian Sea region shows that the following transgressions partly correlate with each other: Karangat and Khazarian; Neo-Euxinian and Khvalyn; Holocene and Neo-Caspian. The main climatic events were synchronous in intercontinental Siberia. In the far eastern region, the Middle-Wisconsinan transgression is reflected by Chukotka and western Kamchatka terraces and by submerged ancient shorelines in Primorye.

Owing to the large basin area of the Caspian Sea, fluctuations in its level reflect climatic changes in the northern hemisphere. To reconstruct these fluctuations, I collected mollusk shells, plant debris, carbonates and organic matter samples for 14C dating from deposits of ancient salt marshes, depressions and bars formed during significant sea-level decline. I studied the impact of eolian sedimentation via parallel dating of carbonates and other materials. The data demonstrate that sea level rises during periods of cooling and falls during warming periods; this is true for both long-term (2–2.5 ka) and short-term climatic changes.

I constructed a Late Pleistocene geochronological scale for European Russia employing 14C dating and paleobotanical studies of several reference sections.

Radiocarbon-dated paleobotanical and palynological samples record complex changes of vegetation and climate in northeastern Russia during the Late Pleistocene and Holocene. Since the Kargin Interval (middle Wisconsin equivalent), which started 50 ka ago, we can distinguish two periods that were colder than the present. The Kirgilyakh was the earliest Karginsk cool period, dating to 45–39 ka BP. The second significant cool period dates to 33–30 ka BP. The boundary between the Kargin Interval and the last Late Pleistocene glaciation (Sartan, late Wisconsin equivalent) dates from 27 ka BP. The sharp change from herbaceous mossy tundra (Sartan) to light-coniferous larch forests (Holocene) in northeastern Russia dates to 12.5 ka ago. The Holocene thermal maximum, linked to the expansion of woody plants into the modern barren-ground tundra, dates from 9.5–8 ka BP.

We distinguished major stages of the last glaciation (Bølling, Older Dryas, Allerød, Younger Dryas) and the Holocene by radiocarbon dating and paleobotanical analyses. Our paleobotanical investigation of peatlands is well correlated with independent 14C data. We establish that the Atlantic and Subboreal stages of the Holocene have three divisions, and that the Subatlantic has two.

The paper presents the results for the 14C dating obtained recently in the Laboratory of the Institute of Geology, Ufa Science Centre, Russian Academy of Science, on the basis of megafaunal bones, peats, wood and mollusk shells. Dates are reported in stratigraphic sequence from the Late Würmian to the Holocene.

We present here a description of the 14C dating method used at the Institute of Geology, Estonian Academy of Science. We discuss results of geochronological studies of several stratigraphic sections, from which we estimate the age of the Late Weichselian (Late Valdaian) glacial maximum. 14C and paleobotanical data indicate that biodetrital materials comprise organic debris from various sources and suggest only a maximum age of investigated strata (16,000 BP).

The few studies of the paleogeography of the Ukrainian Carpathians include the chronology of relief formation (Demeduke 1971), the development of vegetation (Malinovsky 1980) and the formation of the landscape (Miller 1961). Previous paleographic inferences were based on comparisons with natural alpine cycles (Koziy 1950, 1963; Tsys 1955, 1968; Tretyak and Kuleshko 1982). Neighboring areas to the west and south of the Ukrainian Carpathians are also insufficiently studied (Serebrany 1978).

We discuss results of 14C dates obtained from areas of young volcanoes in Kamchatka. We apply these dates to reconstructing regional volcanic activity during the Holocene.

The use of radiocarbon dating in geocryological investigations makes it possible to establish a chronology for permafrost-geological development during the Late Pleistocene. Both global and regional time scales for the formation of Late Pleistocene permafrost have been worked out over the past 15–20 years at the Permafrost Institute of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. I present here results from study areas of northwestern Siberia and of North, Central and West Yakutia.

A reliable archaelogical chronology for medieval sites in northwestern Russia depends in part on a refined regional calibration scale for 14C dates. We present results of dates on tree-ring series from Novgorod that show a systematic discrepancy from European calibration curves, and that underline the need for more extensive 14C dating as the basis of an extended calibration curve for the region.

We report 172 dates on osseous material from Paleolithic sites of the East European Plain.