Cited by 46Archaeology and ancient environmental studiesTree-ring climate responsesGeology and Paleoclimatology Research

Quality Dating: A Well-Defined Protocol Implemented at ETH for High-Precision 14C-Dates Tested on Late Glacial Wood

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Sookdeo, Adam, Kromer, Bernd, Büntgen, Ulf, Friedrich, Michael, Friedrich, Ronny, Helle, Gerhard, Pauly, Maren, Nievergelt, Daniel +4 more·2020·Radiocarbon

Abstract

ABSTRACT Advances in accelerator mass spectrometry have resulted in an unprecedented amount of new high-precision radiocarbon ( 14 C) -dates, some of which will redefine the international 14 C calibration curves (IntCal and SHCal). Often these datasets are unaccompanied by detailed quality insurances in place at the laboratory, questioning whether the 14 C structure is real, a result of a laboratory variation or measurement-scatter. A handful of intercomparison studies attempt to elucidate laboratory offsets but may fail to identify measurement-scatter and are often financially constrained. Here we introduce a protocol, called Quality Dating, implemented at ETH-Zürich to ensure reproducible and accurate high-precision 14 C-dates. The protocol highlights the importance of the continuous measurements and evaluation of blanks, standards, references and replicates. This protocol is tested on an absolutely dated German Late Glacial tree-ring chronology, part of which is intercompared with the Curt Engelhorn-Center for Archaeometry, Mannheim, Germany (CEZA). The combined dataset contains 170 highly resolved, highly precise 14 C-dates that supplement three decadal dates spanning 280 cal. years in IntCal, and provides detailed 14 C structure for this interval.

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Authors
Sookdeo, A., Kromer, B., Büntgen, U., Friedrich, M., Friedrich, R., Helle, G., Pauly, M., Nievergelt, D., Reinig, F., Treydte, K., Synal, H.-A., & Wacker, L.
Affiliations
  • ETH Zurich (CH)
  • Heidelberg University (DE)
  • University of Cambridge (GB)
  • University of Hohenheim (DE)
  • Reiss Engelhorn Museum (DE)
  • GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences (DE)
  • Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (CH)
Corresponding author
Sookdeo, Adam
Venue
Radiocarbon
Published
2019-11-18
Volume
62
Issue
4
Pages
891-899
ISSN
  • 0033-8222 (ISSN-L)
  • 1945-5755
OpenAlex
W2985768960
Cited by
44
References
31
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 11
FWCI
4.76
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Radiocarbon (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
  • Research Space (acceptedVersion)
  • DORA WSL (Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
  • Publication Database GFZ (GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Publication Database GFZ (GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
  • Repository for Publications and Research Data (ETH Zurich) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
  • ETH Zürich Research Collection
Funders
  • National Science Foundation
  • Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
  • Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung (157187, 200021L)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Paleontology › Archaeology and ancient environmental studies
  • Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Atmospheric Science › Tree-ring climate responses
  • Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Atmospheric Science › Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
Keywords
Late Glacial, tree-ring chronology, radiocarbon calibration, measurement scatter, intercomparison, accelerator mass spectrometry

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