Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-gb8f7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-01T04:50:23.219Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Radiocarbon Dating of Millimole-Sized Gaseous Samples

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 July 2016

Dušan Srdoč ,
Bogomil Obelić  and
Nada Horvatinčić
Dušan Srdoč
Affiliation:
Ruder Bošković Institute, Zagreb, POBox 1016, Yugoslavia
Bogomil Obelić
Affiliation:
Ruder Bošković Institute, Zagreb, POBox 1016, Yugoslavia
Nada Horvatinčić
Affiliation:
Ruder Bošković Institute, Zagreb, POBox 1016, Yugoslavia
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.

As an alternative to the accelerator technique, a simple, compact, small counter system has been developed and tested for routine 14C dating. Our small counter is an all-metal design made of the OFHC copper with quartz supports for the anode (25μm stainless steel). Careful selection of materials for the counter construction was made based on the measurements of the alpha contamination. Methane as the counter filling gave better resolution and gas gain stability, whereas CO2 gave lower background counting rate and it was easier to prepare and to handle. The long term run using CH4 showed that the gas gain remained stable within 1–2% for months after the initial drop which followed the counter filling. A 7-day counting period was sufficient to achieve a 3% relative standard deviation which was considered acceptable for routine dating of younger samples.

Type
V. General Aspects of 14C Technique
Information
Radiocarbon , Volume 25 , Issue 2: 11th International Radiocarbon Conference , 1983 , pp. 485 - 492
Copyright
Copyright © The American Journal of Science 

References

Currie, LA, Klouda, GA, and Copper, JA, 1980, Mini-radiocarbon measurements, chemical selectivity and the impact of man on environmental pollution and climate, in : Radiocarbon, v 22, no. 2, p 349–362.Google Scholar
Sayre, EV, Harbottle, G, Stoenner, RW, Otlet, RL, and Evans, GV, 1981, Small gas proportional counters for the 14C measurement of very small samples, in : Berlin, IAEA, p 393–407.Google Scholar
Srdoč, D, in press, Surface emission of alpha particles from materials used in low-level radioactivity technique, in Internatl conf on low-level activity measurements and applications, 2nd Proc: High Tatras, Czechoslovakia.Google Scholar
Srdoč, D, and Sliepčević, A, 1963, Carbon dioxide proportional counter; effects of gaseous impurities and gas purification method: Jour Appl Radiation Isotopes, v 14, p 481–488.Google Scholar