Abstract
Carbonate species, dissolved in appreciable quantities in all ground waters, can be extracted and used for radiocarbon dating. The material is mainly of biogenic origin, but contains some bicarbonate produced from limestone. This causes a dilution of the radiocarbon activity of the total carbonate species in the water and a correction is necessary in order to determine absolute radiocarbon ages, i.e., the time since the waters went underground.
Three methods of evaluating the limestone contributions are examined critically: carbonate species ratios, carbon-13 variations, and concurrent tritium measurements. All possess uncertainties. The largest errors occur in the carbon-13 procedure, due to the wide natural fluctuation of the stable isotope content in plants and the occurrence of isotope effects in the soil air-water carbon dioxide exchange. Comparisons of the limestone dilution correction techniques show that they produce analogous results in actual aquifer studies, but with small differences in the calculated radiocarbon ages. The reasons for these inconsistencies have not yet been unequivocally established. Two problems are: the possibility of irreversible exchange of the ground water dissolved carbonate species with limestone in the aquifer matrix, and the significance of exchange of carbon dioxide in the water with that of the soil air in the surface layer of the catchment zone. Experiments are suggested that could resolve these questions.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Explore related subjects
Discover the latest articles, news and stories from top researchers in related subjects.Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Anderson, T. F.: 1969,J. Geophys. Res. 74, 3918.
Back, W. and Hanshaw, B. B.: 1971,Adv. Chemistry, No. 106, 77.
Bender, J. B.: 1968,Radiocarbon 10, 468.
Brinkman, R., Münnich, K. O., and Vogel, J. C.: 1959,Naturwissenschaften 46, 10.
Brinkman, R., Münnich, K. O., and Vogel, J. C.: 1960,Geol. Rundschau 49, 244.
Craig, H.: 1953,Geochim. Cosmochim, Acta 3, 53.
Conrod, G. and Fontes, J. C.: 1972,Compt. Rend. 275D, 165.
Custodio, E.: 1967,Isotopes in Hydrology, I.A.E.A., Vienna, p. 352.
Emiliani, C.: 1956,J. Geology 64, 281.
Emrich, K., Ehhalt, D. H., and Vogel, I. c.: 1970,Earth Planetary Sci. Letters 8, 363.
Epstein, E.: 1973,Scientific American 228, No. 5, 48.
Eriksson, E.: 1962,Application of Isotope Techniques in Hydrology, I.A.E.A., Vienna, p. 11.
Fairhall, A. W. and Young, J. A.: 1970,Adv. Chemistry No. 93, 401.
Führ, F. and Sauerbeck, D.: 1968,Isotopes and Radiation in Soil Organic Matter Studies, I.A.E.A., Vienna, p. 241.
Galimov, E. M.: 1966,Geochim. Int. 3, 889.
Geyh, M. A.: 1970,Isotope Hydrology, I.A.E.A., Vienna, p. 215.
Geyh, M. A.: 1972a,24th Int. Geol. Conf., p. 227.
Geyh, M. A.: 1972b,Proc. Int. Conf. Radiocarbon Dating, Wellington, New Zealand, p. D58.
Geyh, M. A.: 1973,Z. Deutsch. Geol. Ges. 124, 515.
Geyh, M. A.: 1974,Oesterreichische Wasserwirtschaft 26, 49.
Geyh, M. A. and Wendt, I.: 1965,Proc. Int. Conf. C-14, T-3 Dating Conf., Pullman, Wash. CONF-650652, 597.
Geyh, M. A. and Mairhofer, J.: 1970,Steir. Beitr. Hydrogeol. 22, 63.
Geyh, M. A. and Kreysing, K.: 1973,Revista Brasileira Geociencias 3, 53.
Geyh, M. A. and Michel, G.: 1974,Fortschr. Geol. Rheinle. Westf. 20, 67.
Geyh, M. A. and Tamers, M. A.: 1974, in preparation.
Geyh, M. A., Benzler, J. H., and Roeschmann, G.: 1971,Int. Soil Soc. Conf., Amsterdam, 63.
Geyh, M. A., Merkt, J., and Muller, H.: 1971,Arch. Hydrobiol. 69, 366.
Godwin, H.: 1962,Nature 195, 984.
Hall, R. L.: 1967,Michigan Archaeologist 13, 3.
Hatch, M. D. and Slack, C. R.: 1966,Biochem. J. 101, 103.
Haul, R. A. W. and Stein, L. H.: 1955,Trans. Faraday Soc. 51, 1280.
Herrera, R. and Tamers, M. A.: 1971,Paleopedology-Origin, Nature and Dating of Paleosols, Intern. Soc. Soil Sci., Jerusalem, p. 109.
Lal, D.: 1965,Proc. Int. Conf. C-14 and T-3 Dating Conf., Pullman, Wash., CONF-650652, p. 541.
Lerman, J. C.: 1967,Ciencia e Investigacion 24, 268.
Lerman, J. C.: 1972a,Proc. Int. Conf. Radiocarbon Dating, Wellington, New Zealand, p. H16.
Lerman, J. C.: 1972b,Proc. Int. Conf. Radiocarbon Dating, Wellington, New Zealand, p. D93.
Lowdon, J. A. and Dyck, W.: 1974,Can. J. Earth Sci. 11, 79.
Matthess, G., Fauth, H., Geyh, M. A., and Wendt, I.: 1969,Geol. Jahrb. 87, 45.
Mazor, E., Verhagen, B. T., Sellschop, J. P. F., Robins, N. S., and Hutton, L. G.: 1974,Isotope Techniques in Groundwater Hydrology 1, 203, I.A.E.A., Vienna.
Mook, W. G.: 1970,Isotope Hydrology, I.A.E.A., Vienna, p. 163.
Mook, W. G.: 1972,Proc. Int. Conf. Radiocarbon Dating, Wellington, New Zealand, p. D32.
Mückenhausen, E., Scharpenseel, H. W., and Pietig, F.: 1968,Eiszeitalter Gegenwart 19, 190.
Münnich, K. O.: 1957,Naturwissenschaften 44, 32.
Münnich, K. O. and Roether, W.: 1963,Radioisotopes in Hydrology, I.A.E.A., Vienna, p. 383.
Münnich, K. O. and Roether, W.: 1967,Radioactive Dating and Methods of Low-Level Counting, I.A.E.A., Vienna, p. 93.
Münnich, K. O., Roether, W., and Thilo, L.: 1967,Isotopes in Hydrology, I.A.E.A., Vienna, p. 305.
Nydal, R. and Lövseth, K.: 1970,J. Geophys. Res. 75, 2271.
Nydal, R., Lövseth, K., and Syrstad, O.: 1971,Nature 232, 418.
Oberländer, H. E. and Roth, K.: 1968,Isotopes and Radiation in Soil Organic Matter Studies, I.A.E.A., Vienna, p. 251.
Oberländer, H. E. and Roth, K.: 1972,Landwirtschaftliche Forschung 25, 295.
Rightmire, C. T. and Hanshaw, B. B.: 1973,Water Res. Research 9, 958.
Salin, M. L. and Homann, P. H.: 1971,Plant Physiol. 48, 193.
Samos, G.: 1949,Science 110, 663.
Scharpenseel, H. W.: 1970,Int. Soil Soc. Conf., Amsterdam, 77.
Scharpenseel, H. W.: 1972,Z. Pflanzenernährung Bodenkunde 133, 241.
Scharpenseel, H. W.: 1974,Mitteilungen der Deutschen Bodenkundl. Gesellsch. 18, 198.
Scharpenseel, H. W. and Pietig, F.: 1969a,Z. Pflanzenernährung Bodenkunde 122, 145.
Scharpenseel, H. W. and Pietig, F.: 1969b,Geoderma 2, 273.
Scharpenseel, H. W. and Tamers, M. A.: 1970,Z. Kulturtechnik Flurbereinigung 11, 166.
Scharpenseel, H. W. and Ohling, J.: 1974,Isotope and Radiation Techniques in Soil Physics and Irrigation Studies, I.A.E.A., p. 97.
Scharpenseel, H. W., Pietig, F., Kruse, E., Hesselfeld, H., and Specth, K.: 1973,Fu Jen Studies 7, 41.
Siegenthaler, U., Oeschger, H., and Tongiorgo, E.: 1970,Isotope Hydrology, I.A.E.A., Vienna, 373.
Smith, B. N. and Epstein, S.: 1971,Plant. Physiol. 47, 380.
Stuiver, M. and Deevey, E. S.: 1962,Radiocarbon 4, 250.
Tamers, M. A.: 1966,Nature 212, 489.
Tamers, M. A.: 1967a,Am. Geophys. Union Monograph 11, 143.
Tamers, M. A.: 1967b,Compt. Rend. 264B, 344.
Tamers, M. A.: 1969,Atompraxis 15, 271.
Tamers, M. A. and Thielen, C.: 1966,Acta Cientifica Venezolana 17, 150.
Tamers, M. A., Balke, K. D., and Scharpenseel, H. W.: 1968,Z. Kulturtechnik Flurbereinigung 9, 364.
Tamers, M. A., Stipp, J. J., and Weiner, R.: 1975,Environmental Research, in press.
Tauber, H.: 1967,Radiocarbon 9, 246.
Thilo, L. and Münnich, K. O.: 1970,Isotopes in Hydrology, I.A.E.A., Vienna, 259.
Troughton, J. H.: 1972,Proc. Intern. Conf. Radiocarbon Dating, Wellington, New Zealand, E39.
Vogel, J. C.: 1959,Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 16, 236.
Vogel, J. C. and Ehhalt, D.: 1963,Radioisotopes in Hydrology, I.A.E.A., Vienna, 383.
Volk, R. J. and Jackson, W. A.: 1972,Plant Physiol. 49, 218.
Wendt, I.: 1971,Earth Planetary Sci. Letters 12, 439.
Wendt, I., Stahl, W., Geyh, M., and Fauth, F.: 1967,Isotopes in Hydrology, I.A.E.A., Vienna, 321.
Wickman, F. E.: 1952,Geochim. Cosmochim Acta 2, 243.
Winograd, J. J. and Farlekas, G. M.: 1974,Isotope Techniques in Groundwater Hydrology 2, 69, I.A.E.A., Vienna.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Note: I.A.E.A.=International Atomic Energy Agency
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Tamers, M.A. Validity of radiocarbon dates on ground water. Geophysical Surveys 2, 217–239 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01447909
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01447909