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Radiocarbon timescale tested against magnetic and other dating methods

Abstract

A detailed comparison of conventional radiocarbon years with calendar years covering the past four centuries is given. Relatively large atmospheric 14C changes are encountered over this time, and even very precise 14C dating cannot entirely solve the problems of age calibration. By matching radiocarbon ages with ages derived from 230Th/234U, thermoluminescence and magnetic dating, the 14C timescale is shown to deviate by a maximum of 2,000 yr over the 9,000–32,000 yr BP interval.

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Stuiver, M. Radiocarbon timescale tested against magnetic and other dating methods. Nature 273, 271–274 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1038/273271a0

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