Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-m9kch Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-05-14T10:34:14.320Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A Low-Cost Miniature Counter System for Radiocarbon Dating

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 July 2016

Kazimierz Jelen  and
Mebus A Geyh
Kazimierz Jelen
Affiliation:
Niedersächsisches Landesamt für Bodenforschung, D 3000 Hannover, Federal Republic of Germany
Mebus A Geyh
Affiliation:
Niedersächsisches Landesamt für Bodenforschung, D 3000 Hannover, Federal Republic of Germany
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Despite the great potential of the AMS technique for 14C dating of milligram samples, the use of multiple miniature counter systems is still promising. Investment costs are relatively low and long-term financing of age determinations can be held within bounds. We have developed a 14C dating system containing 10 miniature counters for $30,000, whereas commercial systems usually cost more than $ 150,000. Counting is not quite as good as that of the technically more sophisticated commercial systems, but the disadvantage for routine work is not significant. CO2 preparation and purification take less than 30 minutes of active work including measurement and data evaluation. The cost of one age determination on a 22mg sample is about $35.00.

Type
V. Conventional Techniques
Information
Radiocarbon , Volume 28 , Issue 2A , 1986 , pp. 578 - 585
Copyright
Copyright © The American Journal of Science 

References

Geyh, M A, 1967, Experience gathered in the construction of low-level counters, in Radioactive dating and methods of low-level counting: Vienna, IAEA, p 575–589.Google Scholar
Gulliksen, S and Nydal, R, 1979, Further improvements of counter background and shielding, in Berger, R, and Suess, H E, eds, Radiocarbon dating, Internatl 14C conf, 9th, Proc: Berkeley, Univ California Press, p 176–184.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harbottle, G, Sayre, E V and Stoenner, R W, 1979, Carbon-14 dating of small samples by proportional counting: Science, v 206, p 683–685.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kaihola, L, Polach, H and Kojola, H, 1984, Time series analysis of low-level gas counting data: Radiocarbon, v 26, p 159–163.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kaihola, L, Polach, H, Kojola, H, Tervahauta, J, Mäntynen, P and Soini, E, 1984, Low level gas multicounter for 14C dating of small samples: Nuclear Instruments & Methods, v 233, p 436–438.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kromer, B, 1984, Recalibration of Heidelberg 14C laboratory data: Radiocarbon, v 26, p 148.Google Scholar
Otlet, R L, Huxtable, G, Evans, G V, Humphreys, D G, Short, T D and Conchie, S J, 1983, Development and operation of the Harwell small counter, in Stuiver, M and Kra, R, eds, Internatl 14C conf, 11th, Proc: Radiocarbon, v 25, no. 2, p 565–575.Google Scholar
Srdoc, D and Sliepcevic, A, 1963, Carbon dioxide proportional counters: effects of gaseous impurities and gas purification methods: Internatl Jour Radiation Isotopes, v 14, p 481–488.Google Scholar
Stuiver, M, Robinson, S W and Yang, I C, 1979, 14C dating to 60,000 years bp with proportional counters, in Berger, R and Suess, H E, eds, Radiocarbon dating, Internatl 14C conf, 9th, Proc: Berkeley, Univ California Press, p 202–215.Google Scholar
Wölfli, W, Polach, H A and Andersen, H H, eds, 1984, Accelerator Mass Spectrometry: Nuclear Instruments & Methods, v 233, no. 2, 448 p.Google Scholar