High-precision radiocarbon measurements at the ANTARES AMS Centre

Abstract

The ANTARES AMS Centre at Lucas Heights Research Laboratories is currently used for measurements of the long-lived radioisotopes 14C, 26Al, 36Cl and 129I, with measurement of 10Be and actinides under development. Improved precision for 14C (to 0.5%) has been achieved with the recent commissioning of a 59 sample ion source coupled with automated data acquisition. We have developed rigorous data evaluation methods which are invaluable in assessing reproducibility and aid in the identification of physical problems with the system. Low backgrounds, in the accelerator and in the sample preparation laboratories, have allowed us to measure very old samples (to 50 000 years BP) and are also vital for high-accuracy dating of small samples. © 1996 Elsevier Science B.V.