Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Bomb-pulse dating of human material – modelling the influence of diet

Georgiadou, Elisavet LU and Stenström, Kristina LU (2010) Proceedings of the 20th International Radiocarbon Conference 52(2). p.800-807
Abstract
The atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons during the 1950s and early 1960s produced large amounts of radiocarbon.

This 14C bomb pulse provides useful age information in numerous scientific fields, e.g. in geosciences and environmental

sciences. Bomb-pulse dating can also be used to date human material (e.g. in forensics and medical science). Bombpulse

dating relies on precise measurements of the declining 14C concentration in atmospheric carbon dioxide collected at

clean-air sites. However, local variations in the 14C specific activity of air and foodstuffs occur, which are caused by natural

processes as well as by various human activities. As 14C enters the human body mainly through the diet,... (More)
The atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons during the 1950s and early 1960s produced large amounts of radiocarbon.

This 14C bomb pulse provides useful age information in numerous scientific fields, e.g. in geosciences and environmental

sciences. Bomb-pulse dating can also be used to date human material (e.g. in forensics and medical science). Bombpulse

dating relies on precise measurements of the declining 14C concentration in atmospheric carbon dioxide collected at

clean-air sites. However, local variations in the 14C specific activity of air and foodstuffs occur, which are caused by natural

processes as well as by various human activities. As 14C enters the human body mainly through the diet, variations of 14C concentration

in foodstuffs need to be considered. The marine component of the diet is believed to be of particular importance due

to the non-equilibrium in 14C specific activity between the atmosphere and aquatic reservoirs during the bomb pulse. This article

reviews the 14C concentration in marine foodstuffs during the bomb-pulse era, and models how the marine component in

one’s diet can affect the precision of bomb-pulse dating of human material. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
host publication
Radiocarbon
volume
52
issue
2
pages
800 - 807
publisher
University of Arizona
conference name
Proceedings of the 20th International Radiocarbon Conference
conference dates
2009-05-31 - 2009-06-05
external identifiers
  • wos:000285437800061
ISSN
0033-8222
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
d1136a91-1f6c-4f4b-aec9-b52df7d0d7c8 (old id 1671001)
alternative location
http://digitalcommons.arizona.edu/restrictedobjectviewer?o=http://radiocarbon.library.arizona.edu/Volume52/Number2/79b00717-a04e-4ede-b39c-49ffb67fcc37
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 14:07:59
date last changed
2018-11-21 20:23:46
@inproceedings{d1136a91-1f6c-4f4b-aec9-b52df7d0d7c8,
  abstract     = {{The atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons during the 1950s and early 1960s produced large amounts of radiocarbon.<br/><br>
This 14C bomb pulse provides useful age information in numerous scientific fields, e.g. in geosciences and environmental<br/><br>
sciences. Bomb-pulse dating can also be used to date human material (e.g. in forensics and medical science). Bombpulse<br/><br>
dating relies on precise measurements of the declining 14C concentration in atmospheric carbon dioxide collected at<br/><br>
clean-air sites. However, local variations in the 14C specific activity of air and foodstuffs occur, which are caused by natural<br/><br>
processes as well as by various human activities. As 14C enters the human body mainly through the diet, variations of 14C concentration<br/><br>
in foodstuffs need to be considered. The marine component of the diet is believed to be of particular importance due<br/><br>
to the non-equilibrium in 14C specific activity between the atmosphere and aquatic reservoirs during the bomb pulse. This article<br/><br>
reviews the 14C concentration in marine foodstuffs during the bomb-pulse era, and models how the marine component in<br/><br>
one’s diet can affect the precision of bomb-pulse dating of human material.}},
  author       = {{Georgiadou, Elisavet and Stenström, Kristina}},
  booktitle    = {{Radiocarbon}},
  issn         = {{0033-8222}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{800--807}},
  publisher    = {{University of Arizona}},
  title        = {{Bomb-pulse dating of human material – modelling the influence of diet}},
  url          = {{http://digitalcommons.arizona.edu/restrictedobjectviewer?o=http://radiocarbon.library.arizona.edu/Volume52/Number2/79b00717-a04e-4ede-b39c-49ffb67fcc37}},
  volume       = {{52}},
  year         = {{2010}},
}