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Science 24 November 1978:
Vol. 202. no. 4370, pp. 881 - 883
DOI: 10.1126/science.202.4370.881
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Articles

Carbon-14 Dating: A Comparison of Beta and Ion Counting

MINZE STUIVER 1

1 Departments of Geological Sciences and Zoology, University of Washington, Seattle 98195

Accelerator ion counting compares favorably with conventional beta counting. The major advantage of ion counting is that milligram samples can be analyzed. When sample size is not limiting, ion counting complements beta counting for the more routine carbon-14 determinations. Further development is needed before ion counting can achieve the same high precision as beta counting for large samples (± 2 per mil). A solution to the background variability has to be found before ion counting can be used to date samples back to the 75,000-year limit of beta counting.

Submitted on March 29, 1978
Revised on July 6, 1978

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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)