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Radiocarbon Wiggle-Match Dating of Bulk Sediments-How Accurate Can it Be?

Mellström, Anette LU ; Muscheler, Raimund LU orcid ; Snowball, Ian LU ; Ning, Wenxin LU and Haltia-Hovi, Eeva LU (2013) In Radiocarbon 55(2-3). p.1173-1186
Abstract
We used the radiocarbon wiggle-match dating technique to date the varved sediments of Lake Gyltigesjon in southern Sweden with the main aim to construct an accurate chronology covering the period between about 3000 and 2000 cal BP. Wiggle-match dating was applied to bulk sediments to evaluate the possibility of constructing accurate chronologies in the absence of terrestrial plant macrofossils and when the amount of old carbon in the sediments is unknown. Facilitated by a floating varve chronology and relatively stable C-14 reservoir ages, the results show the possibility to assess the contribution of old carbon solely based on the C-14 wiggle-matching of bulk sediments. We confirm the wiggle-matched chronology and the C-14 reservoir age... (More)
We used the radiocarbon wiggle-match dating technique to date the varved sediments of Lake Gyltigesjon in southern Sweden with the main aim to construct an accurate chronology covering the period between about 3000 and 2000 cal BP. Wiggle-match dating was applied to bulk sediments to evaluate the possibility of constructing accurate chronologies in the absence of terrestrial plant macrofossils and when the amount of old carbon in the sediments is unknown. Facilitated by a floating varve chronology and relatively stable C-14 reservoir ages, the results show the possibility to assess the contribution of old carbon solely based on the C-14 wiggle-matching of bulk sediments. We confirm the wiggle-matched chronology and the C-14 reservoir age of approximately 260 yr by cross-checking the results with C-14 dating of macrofossils. The obtained calibrated ages based on bulk sediments have an uncertainty range of about 60-65 yr (95.4% confidence interval). This study confirms that C-14 wiggle-match dating of bulk sediments is a viable tool when constructing high-resolution chronologies. The method is especially useful in Sun-climate studies since the timing between solar activity variations (expressed as C-14 variations) and climate changes can be accurately determined. (Less)
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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Radiocarbon
volume
55
issue
2-3
pages
1173 - 1186
publisher
Arizona Board of Regents (University of Arizona)
external identifiers
  • wos:000325752100102
  • scopus:84884394149
ISSN
0033-8222
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
0ba96e75-41d7-4b39-a6dd-178343c77498 (old id 4171619)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 15:00:09
date last changed
2022-03-22 02:58:10
@article{0ba96e75-41d7-4b39-a6dd-178343c77498,
  abstract     = {{We used the radiocarbon wiggle-match dating technique to date the varved sediments of Lake Gyltigesjon in southern Sweden with the main aim to construct an accurate chronology covering the period between about 3000 and 2000 cal BP. Wiggle-match dating was applied to bulk sediments to evaluate the possibility of constructing accurate chronologies in the absence of terrestrial plant macrofossils and when the amount of old carbon in the sediments is unknown. Facilitated by a floating varve chronology and relatively stable C-14 reservoir ages, the results show the possibility to assess the contribution of old carbon solely based on the C-14 wiggle-matching of bulk sediments. We confirm the wiggle-matched chronology and the C-14 reservoir age of approximately 260 yr by cross-checking the results with C-14 dating of macrofossils. The obtained calibrated ages based on bulk sediments have an uncertainty range of about 60-65 yr (95.4% confidence interval). This study confirms that C-14 wiggle-match dating of bulk sediments is a viable tool when constructing high-resolution chronologies. The method is especially useful in Sun-climate studies since the timing between solar activity variations (expressed as C-14 variations) and climate changes can be accurately determined.}},
  author       = {{Mellström, Anette and Muscheler, Raimund and Snowball, Ian and Ning, Wenxin and Haltia-Hovi, Eeva}},
  issn         = {{0033-8222}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2-3}},
  pages        = {{1173--1186}},
  publisher    = {{Arizona Board of Regents (University of Arizona)}},
  series       = {{Radiocarbon}},
  title        = {{Radiocarbon Wiggle-Match Dating of Bulk Sediments-How Accurate Can it Be?}},
  volume       = {{55}},
  year         = {{2013}},
}