Pre-bomb surface water radiocarbon of the gulf of mexico and caribbean as recorded in hermatypic corals

Amy J. Wagner, Thomas P. Guilderson, Niall C. Slowey, Julia E. Cole

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

37 Scopus citations

Abstract

Radiocarbon measurements of hermatypic corals from 4 sites in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) and Caribbean Sea were made to estimate the marine 14C reservoir age (R) and the marine regional correction (AR) for this region. Coral skeletal material from the Rower Garden Banks (northern GOM continental shelf), Veracruz, Mexico, and 2 reefs from the Cariaco Basin, Venezuela, were analyzed. Annual and subannual samples from 1945-1955 were milled and 14C composition was determined. In the Gulf of Mexico, average coral △14C is -52.6 ± 0.7‰ and average △14C for the Cariaco Basin corals is -53.4 ± 0.8‰. Average values for the marine reservoir age and AR are computed with this data and compared with results derived from previous measurements made in the same regions. These values are important in calibrating the 14C ages of carbonate samples from the area.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)947-954
Number of pages8
JournalRadiocarbon
Volume51
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - 2009
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Archaeology
  • General Earth and Planetary Sciences

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