Abstract
This chapter presents an overview of the technology for measuring radiocarbon (14C) by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS), which counts individual 14C atoms. The major components of a 14C AMS system are described in relation to the basic principles and challenges for measuring 14C. This chapter concludes with a review of various AMS instruments used to measure 14C.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsReferences
Allen, K.W. 1987. Ultra high sensitivity mass spectrometry with accelerators. London, England: Royal Society Carlton House Terrace.
Bonani, G., P. Eberhardt, H.J. Hofmann, T.R. Niklaus, M. Suter, H.A. Synal, and W. Wolfli. 1990. Efficiency improvements with a new stripper design. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B-Beam Interactions With Materials and Atoms 52: 338–344.
Brown, T.A., and J.R. Southon. 1997. Corrections for contamination background in AMS C-14 measurements. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B-Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms 123: 208–213.
Calcagnile, L., and G. Quarta. 2010. E/Q and ME/Q(2) contributions to machine background in sequential injection radiocarbon AMS. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B-Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms 268: 830–833.
Chamizo, E., J.M. Lopez-Gutierrez, A. Ruiz-Gomez, F.J. Santos, M. Garcia-Leon, C. Maden, and V. Alfimov. 2008. Status of the compact 1 MV AMS facility at the Centro Nacional de Aceleradores (Spain). Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B-Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms 266: 2217–2220.
Döbeli, M., C. Kottler, M. Stocker, S. Weinmann, H.A. Synal, M. Grajcar, and M. Suter. 2004. Gas ionization chambers with silicon nitride windows for the detection and identification of low energy ions. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B-Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms 219: 415–419.
Donahue, D.J., T.W. Linick, and A.J.T. Jull. 1990. Isotope ratio and background corrections for accelerator mass spectrometry radiocarbon measurements. Radiocarbon 32: 135–142.
Eilers, G., A. Persson, C. Gustavsson, L. Ryderfors, E. Mukhtar, G. Possnert, and M. Salehpour. 2013. The radiocarbon intracavity optogalvanic spectroscopy setup at uppsala. Radiocarbon 55: 237–250.
Fahrni, S.M., L. Wacker, H.A. Synal, and S. Szidat. 2013. Improving a gas ion source for C-14 AMS. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B-Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms 294: 320–327.
Fink, D., M. Hotchkis, Q. Hua, G. Jacobsen, A. Smith, U. Zoppi, D. Child, C. Mifsud, H. van der Gaast, A. Williams, and M. Williams. 2004. The antares AMS facility at ANSTO. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B-Beam Interactions With Materials and Atoms 223: 109–115.
Fink, D. 2010. AMS-11 in Rome, 2008: Past achievements, current and future trends. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B-Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms 268: 1334–1342.
Freeman, S., G.T. Cook, A.B. Dougans, P. Naysmith, K.M. Wilcken, and S. Xu. 2010. Improved SSAMS performance. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B-Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms 268: 715–717.
Galli, I., S. Bartalini, P. Cancio, P. De Natale, D. Mazzotti, G. Giusfredi, M.E. Fedi, and P.A. Mando. 2013. Optical detection of radiocarbon dioxide: first results and AMS intercomparison. Radiocarbon 55: 213–223.
Godwin, H. 1962. Half-life of radiocarbon. Nature 195: 984.
Goslar, T., J. Czernik, and E. Goslar. 2004. Low-energy C-14 AMS in Poznan radiocarbon laboratory, Poland. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B-Beam Interactions With Materials and Atoms 223: 5–11.
Gottdang, A., M. Klein, and D. Mous. 2001. Accelerator mass spectrometry at high voltage engineering Europa (HVEE). Radiocarbon 43: 149–156.
Guilderson, T.P., E.B. Roark, P.D. Quay, S.R.F. Page, and C. Moy. 2006. Seawater radiocarbon evolution in the gulf of Alaska: 2002 observations. Radiocarbon 48: 1–15.
Hellborg, R. 2005. Electrostatic accelerators. Berlin: Springer.
Hong, W., J.H. Park, K.S. Sung, H.J. Woo, J.K. Kim, H.W. Choi, and G.D. Kim. 2010. A New 1MV AMS Facility at Kigam. Radiocarbon 52: 243–251.
Jacob, S., M. Suter, and H. Synal. 2000. Ion beam interaction with stripper gas—key for AMS at sub MeV. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B-Beam Interactions With Materials and Atoms 172: 235–241.
Karlén, I., et al. 1964. Absolute determination of the activity of two C14 dating standards. Arkiv for Geofysik 4: 465–471.
Kiisk, M., B. Erlandsson, M. Faarinen, R. Hellborg, K. Hakansson, P. Persson, G. Skog, and K. Stenstrom. 2002. The charge state distribution of a carbon beam measured at the lund pelletron accelerator with the newly installed terminal pumping system in use. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section a-Accelerators Spectrometers Detectors and Associated Equipment 481: 1–8.
Knoll, G. 2000. Radiation Detection and Measurement. New York: John Wiley and Sons Inc.
Kobayashi, K., E. Niu, S. Itoh, H. Yamagata, Z. Lomtatidze, I. Jorjoliani, K. Nakamura, and H. Fujine. 2007. The compact C-14 AMS facility of Paleo Labo Co., Ltd, Japan. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B-Beam Interactions With Materials and Atoms 259: 31–35.
Kutschera, W., P. Collon, H. Friedmann, R. Golser, P. Hille, A. Priller, W. Rom, P. Steier, S. Tagesen, A. Wallner, E. Wild, and G. Winkler. 1997. VERA: A new AMS facility in Vienna. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B-Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms 123: 47–50.
Liebl, H. 2008. Applied charged particle optics. Berlin Heidelberg: Springer.
Litherland, A.E. 1980. Ultrasensitive mass spectrometry with accelerators. Annual Review of Nuclear and Particle Science 30: 437–473.
Middleton, R., D. Juenemann, and J. Klein. 1994. Isotopic fractionation of negative-ions produced by CS sputtering in a high-intensity source. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B-Beam Interactions With Materials and Atoms 93: 39–51.
Müller, A. 2009. Entwicklung von universellen AMS Anlagen bei tiefen Energien.
Müller, A., A. Cassimi, M. Dobeli, M. Mallepell, I. Monnet, M. Simon, M. Suter, and H. Synal. 2011. A new mini gas ionization chamber for IBA applications. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B-Beam Interactions With Materials and Atoms 269: 3037–3040.
Niklaus, T.R., G. Bonani, Z. Guo, M. Suter, and H.A. Synal. 1994. Optimizing tandem accelerator stripping efficiency by simulation of charge changing processes. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B-Beam Interactions With Materials and Atoms 92: 115–121.
Northcliffe, L.C., and R. Schilling. 1970. Range and stopping-power tables for heavy ions. Atomic Data and Nuclear Data Tables 7: 233–463.
Prasad, G.V.R., J.E. Noakes, A. Cherkinsky, R. Culp, and D. Dvoracek. 2013. The new 250 kv single stage AMS system at Cais, University of Georgia: performance comparison with a 500 kv compact tandem machine. Radiocarbon 55: 319–324.
Ramsey, C.B., and R.E.M. Hedges. 1997. Hybrid Ion Sources: Radiocarbon Measurements from Microgram to Milligram. Nuclear Instruments & Methods in Physics Research Section B-Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms 123: 539–545.
Roberts, M.L., and J.R. Southon. 2007. A Preliminary Determination of the Absolute C-14/C-12 Ratio of OX-I. Radiocarbon 49: 441–445.
Rozanski, K., W. Stichler, R. Gonfiantini, E.M. Scott, R.P. Beukens, B. Kromer, and J. Vanderplicht. 1992. The IAEA C-14 intercomparison exercise 1990. Radiocarbon 34: 506–519.
Santos, G.M., J.R. Southon, N.J. Drenzek, L.A. Ziolkowski, E. Druffel, X. Xu, D. Zhang, S. Trumbore, T.I. Eglinton, and K.A. Hughen. 2010. Blank assessment for ultra-small radiocarbon samples: chemical extraction and separation versus AMS. Radiocarbon 52: 1322–1335.
Scott, E.M. 2006. Assuring measurement quality: the international 14C laboratory inter-comparison program. Pages News 14: 7–9.
Scott, E.M., et al. 2010. The fifth international radiocarbon intercomparison (VIRI): an assessment of laboratory performance in stage 3. Radiocarbon 52: 859–865.
Skog, G. 2007. The single stage AMS machine at Lund University: status report. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B-Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms 259: 1–6.
Smith, A.M., Q. Hua, A. Williams, V. Levchenko, and B. Yang. 2010. Developments in micro-sample C-14 AMS at the ANTARES AMS facility. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B-Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms 268: 919–923.
Southon, J. 2011. Are the fractionation corrections correct: are the isotopic shifts for C-14/C-12 ratios in physical processes and chemical reactions really twice those for C-13/C-12? Radiocarbon 53: 691–704.
Southon, J.R., M.W. Caffee, J.C. Davis, T.L. Moore, I.D. Proctor, B. Schumacher, and J.S. Vogel. 1990. The new LLNL AMS spectrometer. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B-Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms 52: 301–305.
Southon, J., G. Santos, K. Druffel-Rodriguez, E. Druffel, S. Trumbore, X. Xu, S. Griffin, S. Ali, and M. Mazon. 2004. The keck carbon cycle AMS laboratory, University of California, Irvine: initial operation and a background surprise. Radiocarbon 46: 41–49.
Steinhof, A. 2013. Data analysis at the JENA C-14 laboratory. Radiocarbon 55: 282–293.
Steinhof, A. 2014. Analysis of the background of the Jena 14C-AMS facility. Nuclear Instruments & Methods in Physics Research, Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms 331: 238–242.
Steinhof, A., I. Hejja, and T. Wagner. 2010. Improvements of the Jena AMS system. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B-Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms 268: 902–905.
Suter, M., R. Balzer, G. Bonani, and W. Wolfli. 1984. A fast beam pulsing system for isotope ratio measurements. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B-Beam Interactions With Materials and Atoms 5: 242–246.
Synal, H., and L. Wacker. 2010. AMS measurement technique after 30 years: possibilities and limitations of low energy systems. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B-Beam Interactions With Materials and Atoms 268: 701–707.
Synal, H., S. Jacob, and M. Suter. 2000. The PSI/ETH small radiocarbon dating system. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B-Beam Interactions With Materials and Atoms 172: 1–7.
Synal, H., M. Stocker, and M. Suter. 2007. MICADAS: a new compact radiocarbon AMS system. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B-Beam Interactions With Materials and Atoms 259: 7–13.
Synal, H.A., T. Schulze-Koenig, M. Seiler, M. Suter, and L. Wacker. 2013. Mass spectrometric detection of radiocarbon for dating applications. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B-Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms 294: 349–352.
Wacker, L., G. Bonani, M. Friedrich, I. Hajdas, B. Kromer, M. Nemec, M. Ruff, M. Suter, H.A. Synal, and C. Vockenhuber. 2010. MICADAS: routine and high precision radiocarbon dating. Radiocarbon 52: 252–262.
White, N.R., et al. 1981. The radiocarbon facility at the Research Lab for Archaeology in Oxford—a review. Symposium on Accelerator Mass Spectrometry, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois, 1981, Argonne, Argonne National Laboratory (ANL)—Physics Division.
Wollnik, H. 1987. Optics of charged particles.
Ziegler, J.F., M.D. Ziegler, and J.P. Biersack. 2010. SRIM—the stopping and range of ions in matter (2010). Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B-Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms 268: 1818–1823.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Steinhof, A. (2016). Accelerator Mass Spectrometry of Radiocarbon. In: Schuur, E., Druffel, E., Trumbore, S. (eds) Radiocarbon and Climate Change. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-25643-6_8
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-25643-6_8
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-25641-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-25643-6
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)