Abstract
The need for age calibration of conventional radiocarbon ages is widely recognized in the Earth sciences. This need arises from assumptions made when calculating a conventional radiocarbon date. Implied in the calculation is the postulated constancy of atmospheric 14C levels during the past, a condition that is only very marginally fulfilled. Therefore, the proper interpretation of a conventional radiocarbon age (Stuiver & Polach 1977) not only depends on the precision and accuracy of the measurement, but also on the extent to which the assumption of constancy of past atmospheric 14C levels is met.
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Stuiver, M., Pearson, G.W. (1992). Calibration of the Radiocarbon Time Scale, 2500–5000 BC. In: Taylor, R.E., Long, A., Kra, R.S. (eds) Radiocarbon After Four Decades. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-4249-7_3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-4249-7_3
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