Radioactive carbon in environmental science

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dc.contributor.authorDodson, JRen_AU
dc.date.accessioned2017-01-11T23:41:36Zen_AU
dc.date.available2017-01-11T23:41:36Zen_AU
dc.date.issued2017-01-12en_AU
dc.date.statistics2014-09-11en_AU
dc.description.abstractCarbon is a very abundant element in biological and earth materials and it is widely distributed in the atmosphere, biosphere, and hydrosphere, and in soil and rock systems. The isotope 14C is unstable and decays at a known rate. Plants absorb some of the trace 14CO2 during photosynthesis, with this passing through the biosphere through eating relationships; most plants and animals are therefore in approximate equilibrium with atmospheric 14CO2. Once the living organism dies, the gradually declining 14C provides the basis for a chronometer to calculate the time since death. Improvements in the technique have been made through better understanding of the carbon cycle, cosmogenic flux rates, and the dynamics of Earth systems; improvements in measurement technology; calibration of the radiocarbon time scale and quantification of reservoir effects; and a reduction in sample size requirements. Radiocarbon dating techniques have been applied to sediment sequences to provide chronologies for proxy analyses of climate and environmental changes; to understand the spatial and temporal variability of fires and their impact on the ecology of vegetation systems; to date groundwater systems and investigate recharge rates; and to provide an accurate chronology for ancient societies and their activities. © 2015, The Royal Society of Chemistry.en_AU
dc.identifier.booktitlePrinciples and Practice of Analytical Techniques in Geosciencesen_AU
dc.identifier.chapter9en_AU
dc.identifier.citationDodson, J. (2015). Chapter 9 : Radioactive carbon in environmental science. In K. Grice (ed.) Principles and Practice of Analytical Techniques in Geosciences (pp. 271-284). Cambridge, UK: The Royal Society of Chemistry.en_AU
dc.identifier.editorsK. Griceen_AU
dc.identifier.govdoc7767en_AU
dc.identifier.issn978-1-78262-502-5en_AU
dc.identifier.pagination271-284en_AU
dc.identifier.placeofpublicationCambridge, UKen_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1039/9781782625025-00271en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttp://apo.ansto.gov.au/dspace/handle/10238/8243en_AU
dc.language.isoenen_AU
dc.subjectCarbonen_AU
dc.subjectElementsen_AU
dc.subjectSoilsen_AU
dc.subjectBiosphereen_AU
dc.subjectHydrosphereen_AU
dc.subjectIsotopesen_AU
dc.titleRadioactive carbon in environmental scienceen_AU
dc.typeBook chapteren_AU
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