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Small Sample Dating in China

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 July 2016

Weijian Zhou
Affiliation:
Xian Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P. O. Box 17, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China
M. J. Head
Affiliation:
Quaternary Dating Research Centre, Research School Of Pacific Studies, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia
Lauri Kaihola
Affiliation:
Marketing Department, Wallac Oy, P. O. Box 10, SF-20101, Turku, Finland
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Abstract

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The Xi'an Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology has developed a small sample 14C dating facility consisting of a Wallac 1220 Quantulus™ liquid scintillation spectrometer, and a miniature benzene synthesis line based on the synthesis procedures used at the Australian National University (ANU). This line can produce ca. 0.3-ml benzene samples, which are then measured for 14C activity using 0.3-ml Teflon vials developed by Wallac Oy. The counting performance of the Quantulus™ spectrometer using 0.3-ml vials has been evaluated, and a potential age limit of ca. 45,000 BP has been obtained for samples containing up to 250 mg carbon. This dating facility fills the gap between large sample (2.4–6 g carbon) and microsample (<1 mg carbon) handling to form a 14C dating method sequence.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © The American Journal of Science 

References

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