Two sediment sequences from Big Kyzykul Lake and the Shushenskoe paleolake in the Minusinsk depre... more Two sediment sequences from Big Kyzykul Lake and the Shushenskoe paleolake in the Minusinsk depression, Southern Siberia, were studied by pollen, microfossil, and geochemical analyses, as well as radiocarbon dating. The records indicate the persistence of an arid period between ∼11.7–7.6 cal kyr BP, increased effective moisture since ∼7.6 cal kyr BP, 2 humid impulses at ∼5.1 and 2.8 cal kyr BP separated by a dry interval, and the return to generally drier conditions after ∼1.5 cal kyr BP. This is contrary to the findings noted for the Eurasian temperate zone, but agrees with proxy data reported for arid and semi-arid zones of Central Asia. Reconstructed changes in climate and environment are in good agreement with archaeological data. Almost no evidence of the Mesolithic-Neolithic cultures has been reported for the depression, which is consistent with a dry early and mid-Holocene. Effective moisture started to rise from ∼7.6 cal kyr BP, followed by the beginning of human occupation ...
A major threat to the Scotch whisky industry is the sale of counterfeit single malt whiskies with... more A major threat to the Scotch whisky industry is the sale of counterfeit single malt whiskies with purported distillation years in the 19th and early- to mid-20th centuries. However, these are often much more recent spirits, distilled in the latter part of the 20th or first part of the 21st centuries. These sales impinge upon the reputation of auction houses, retailers, brand owners and distillers. The atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons in the 1950s and early 1960s has enabled a precise calibration curve to be created, however, there are several reasons why this may not be appropriate for establishing the year of whisky distillation. We have created a 14C calibration curve derived from known-age, single malt whiskies for the period 1950–2015 that enables whisky distilled during the period from 1955 onwards to have the distillation year determined to within 1–3 years for certain periods. However, because of the shape of the curve, two possible age ranges are often possible. The co...
Interlaboratory comparisons have been widely used in analytical chemistry and radiochemistry as a... more Interlaboratory comparisons have been widely used in analytical chemistry and radiochemistry as an important part of ongoing quality assurance programs. The14C community has been no exception in this respect, and in just under 20 years, there have been a number of significant and very extensive interlaboratory trials organized by individual laboratories and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to the benefit of the14C community (both labs and users) (Otletet al. 1980; ISG 1982; Scottet al. 1990; Rozanskiet al. 1992; Scottet al. 1992; Gulliksen and Scott 1995). The comparisons have varied widely in terms of sample type and preparation, but all have had as their primary goal the investigation of the comparability of results produced under possibly quite different laboratory protocols. As techniques have been developed and new labs formed, the reference materials created as a result of the intercomparisons have presented an opportunity for checking procedures and results. User...
There are at least four wooden intertidal platforms, also known as marine crannogs, in the Firth ... more There are at least four wooden intertidal platforms, also known as marine crannogs, in the Firth of Clyde, on the west coast of Scotland. The interpretation of these sites partly depends on their dating and, if coeval, they could point to the presence of a native maritime hub. Furthermore, the spatial coincidence with the terminus of the Antonine Wall has led to speculation about the role they may have played in Roman-native interaction during the occupation of southern Scotland in the early first millennium cal ad. Hence, a better absolute chronology is essential to evaluate whether the marine crannogs were contemporary with one another and whether they related to any known historic events. This article presents results of a wiggle-match dating project aimed at resolving these uncertainties at two of the sites in question, Dumbuck and Erskine Bridge crannogs. The results show that the construction of these sites pre-date direct Roman influence in Scotland. Furthermore, the results ...
Isopropyl-N-(3-chlorophenyl) carbamate (CIPC, common name Chlorpropham) is commonly used for post... more Isopropyl-N-(3-chlorophenyl) carbamate (CIPC, common name Chlorpropham) is commonly used for post-harvest sprout inhibition in stored potatoes. It is applied as a thermal fog which results in loss to the fabric of the store and the atmosphere. Recently, there have been concerns in the United Kingdom because of cross contamination of other crop commodities that were stored in buildings with a history of CIPC usage. This cross contamination may have occurred because of retained residues in the fabric of the stores. The retention of CIPC in concrete is poorly understood; therefore the requirement for a robust analytical method for the detection and quantification of CIPC in concrete is a critical first step in tackling this problem. A method using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with ultraviolet detection (HPLC UV/VIS) was validated. CIPC recoveries at three concentration levels (0.4, 4.0 and 40.0 μg g) were in the range of 90.7-97.0% with relative standard deviations between 2....
The marine radiocarbon reservoir effect (MRE) occurs as a spatially and temporally dependent vari... more The marine radiocarbon reservoir effect (MRE) occurs as a spatially and temporally dependent variable owing to localized changes in oceanic water composition. This study investigates ΔR values (deviations from the global average MRE whose ΔR = 0) during the period 500–1350 BP for the east coast of Scotland, where a complex estuarine system exists that drains into the semi-enclosed North Sea basin. Due to the availability of suitable archaeological samples, the data set has a distinct Medieval focus that spans the area from Aberdeen in the north to East Lothian in the south. Many of the ΔR values are not significantly different from 0 (the global average), but there are occasional excursions to negative values (max –172 ± 20) indicating the presence of younger water. These values show greater variability compared to other published data for this general region, suggesting that considerable care must be taken when dating marine derived samples from archaeological sites on the east coa...
We consider the suitability of commonly used Poisson counting statistics applied to background co... more We consider the suitability of commonly used Poisson counting statistics applied to background count rates measured in the new generation of low-background Packard liquid scintillation spectrometers. We also investigate the stability of these systems over long time intervals. Undetected instability will result in an underestimation of the precision of any result (i.e.,the calculated error will be too small), and, in the presence of a systematic source, could lead to inaccurate results. The work described here forms only a small part of a project to investigate the statistical criteria that should be applied to the performance of such counters. The procedures to be discussed here include the Poisson index of dispersion, x and s control charts and the MSSD test for detection of drift. These are illustrated on background count rates derived from the Packard 2260XL and 2000CA/LL.
The intertidal biota from Parton beach, close to the Sellafield nuclear fuel reprocessing plant, ... more The intertidal biota from Parton beach, close to the Sellafield nuclear fuel reprocessing plant, were all found to be enriched in radiocarbon relative to ambient background. The degree of enrichment appears to reflect the positions of the biota in the food chain once the dilution in seaweed from atmospheric uptake is taken into account. Close to the low-water mark, the order was mussels > limpets…
The object of the study was to assess the effects of a range of pretreatment/extraction schemes o... more The object of the study was to assess the effects of a range of pretreatment/extraction schemes on the yields of humic acid and humin obtained from peat and the subsequent radiocarbon ages. We analyzed peat from Flókadalur in northern Iceland, collecting material from a profile containing seven visible tephra horizons in the upper 3 m, whose form and extent indicated little disturbance to the section over the last 4000 yr. The results of a range of pretreatments demonstrated that time rather than the strength of alkali is the more important factor governing the extraction of humic acid. An increase in alkali molarity did not correspond to any systematic increase in yield, whereas an increase in time did, implying that the extraction is kinetically controlled. We found no evidence of variability in14C age due to pretreatment scheme or between different geochemical fractions of the peat. Further implications from this study are that bog stability and ecological simplicity produce a fa...
A previous radiocarbon dating and stable isotope study of directly associated ungulate and human ... more A previous radiocarbon dating and stable isotope study of directly associated ungulate and human bone samples from Late Mesolithic burials at Schela Cladovei in Romania established that there is a freshwater reservoir effect of approximately 500 yr in the Iron Gates reach of the Danube River valley in southeast Europe. Using the δ15N values as an indicator of the percentage of freshwater protein in the human diet, the 14C data for 24 skeletons from the site of Lepenski Vir were corrected for this reservoir effect. The results of the paired 14C and stable isotope measurements provide evidence of substantial dietary change over the period from about 9000 BP to about 300 BP. The data from the Early Mesolithic to the Chalcolithic are consistent with a 2-component dietary system, where the linear plot of isotopic values reflects mixing between the 2 end-members to differing degrees. Typically, the individuals of Mesolithic age have much heavier δ15N signals and slightly heavier δ13C, whi...
Bell Beaker pottery spread across western and central Europe beginning around 2750 BCE before dis... more Bell Beaker pottery spread across western and central Europe beginning around 2750 BCE before disappearing between 2200-1800 BCE. The mechanism of its expansion is a topic of long-standing debate, with support for both cultural diffusion and human migration. We present new genome-wide ancient DNA data from 170 Neolithic, Copper Age and Bronze Age Europeans, including 100 Beaker-associated individuals. In contrast to the Corded Ware Complex, which has previously been identified as arriving in central Europe following migration from the east, we observe limited genetic affinity between Iberian and central European Beaker Complex-associated individuals, and thus exclude migration as a significant mechanism of spread between these two regions. However, human migration did have an important role in the further dissemination of the Beaker Complex, which we document most clearly in Britain using data from 80 newly reported individuals dating to 3900-1200 BCE. British Neolithic farmers were...
To evaluate the transfer of Sellafield-derived radiocarbon ((14)C) to top predators in the UK mar... more To evaluate the transfer of Sellafield-derived radiocarbon ((14)C) to top predators in the UK marine environment, (14)C activities were examined in stranded marine mammals. All samples of harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) obtained from the Irish Sea showed (14)C enrichment above background. Mammal samples obtained from the West of Scotland, including harbour porpoise, grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) and harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) showed (14)C enrichment but to a lesser extent. This study demonstrates, for the first time, enriched (14)C is transferred through the marine food web to apex predators as a consequence of ongoing nuclear reprocessing activities at Sellafield. Total Sellafield (14)C discharge activity 24months prior to stranding and, in particular, distance of animal stranding site from Sellafield are significant variables affecting individual (14)C activity. (14)C activities of West of Scotland harbour porpoises suggest they did not forage in the Irish Sea prior to ...
Radiocarbon (14 C) has been measured in single tree ring samples collected from the southwest of ... more Radiocarbon (14 C) has been measured in single tree ring samples collected from the southwest of the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant. Our data indicate south-westwards dispersion of radiocarbon and the highest 14 C activity observed so far in the local environment during the 2011 accident. The abnormally high 14 C activity in the late wood of 2011 ring may imply an unknown source of radiocarbon nearby after the accident. The influence of 14 C shrank from 30 km during normal reactor operation to 14 km for the accident in the northwest of FDNPP, but remains unclear in the southwest.
Crannogs are ancient artificial islands found in Scotland and Ireland, which typically had some s... more Crannogs are ancient artificial islands found in Scotland and Ireland, which typically had some sort of dwelling place constructed on them that served variously as farmers' homesteads, status symbols, refuges in times of trouble, hunting and fishing stations, etc. Substantial…
American journal of physical anthropology, Oct 28, 2017
The nature of land use and mobility during the transition to agriculture has often been debated. ... more The nature of land use and mobility during the transition to agriculture has often been debated. Here, we use isotope analysis of tooth enamel from human populations buried in two different Neolithic burial monuments, Penywyrlod and Ty Isaf, in south-east Wales, to examine patterns of land use and to evaluate where individuals obtained their childhood diet. We employ strontium ((87) Sr/(86) Sr) and oxygen (δ(18) O) and carbon (δ(13) C) isotope analysis of enamel from adjacent molars. We compare strontium isotope values measured in enamel to locally bioavailable (87) Sr/(86) Sr values. We combine discussion of these results with evaluation of new radiocarbon dates obtained from both sites. The majority of enamel samples from Penywyrlod have strontium isotope ratios above 0.7140. In contrast, the majority of those from Ty Isaf have (87) Sr/(86) Sr values below 0.7140. At Penywyrlod oxygen isotope ratios range between 25.9 and 28.2 ‰ (mean 26.7 ± 0.6 ‰, 1σ, n = 15) and enamel δ(13) Cca...
Radiocarbon activities were measured in annual tree rings for the years 2009 to 2015 from Japanes... more Radiocarbon activities were measured in annual tree rings for the years 2009 to 2015 from Japanese cedar trees (Cryptomeria japonica) collected at six sites ranging from 2.5-38 km northwest and north of the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant. The (14)C specific activity varied from 280.4 Bq kg(-1) C in 2010 to 226.0 Bq kg(-1) C in 2015. The elevated (14)C activities in the 2009 and 2010 rings confirmed (14)C discharges during routine reactor operations, whereas those activities that were indistinguishable from background in 2012-2015 coincided with the permanent shutdown of the reactors after the accident in 2011. High-resolution (14)C analysis of the 2011 ring indicated (14)C releases during the Fukushima accident. The resulted (14)C activity decreased with increasing distance from the plant. The maximum (14)C activity released during the period of the accident was measured 42.4 Bq kg(-1) C above the natural ambient (14)C background. Our findings indicate that, unlike other Fuk...
Ecosystem uptake and transfer of Sellafield-derived radiocarbon ((14)C) were examined within the ... more Ecosystem uptake and transfer of Sellafield-derived radiocarbon ((14)C) were examined within the West of Scotland marine environment. The dissolved inorganic carbon component of seawater, enriched in (14)C, is transported to the West of Scotland where it is transferred through the marine food web. Benthic and pelagic biota with variable life-spans living in the North Channel and Clyde Sea show comparable (14)C activities. This suggests that mixing of (14)C within the Irish Sea results in a relatively constant northwards dispersal of activity. Benthic species in the Firth of Lorn have similar (14)C enrichments, demonstrating that Irish Sea residual water is the dominant source to this area. Measured (14)C activities in biota show some similarity to western Irish Sea activities, indicating that dispersion to the West of Scotland is significant with respect to the fate of Sellafield (14)C releases. Activities measured in commercially important species do not pose any significant radiol...
The paper is compares the chronology of the monuments of the Scythian epoch located in the east a... more The paper is compares the chronology of the monuments of the Scythian epoch located in the east and west of the Eurasian steppe zone on the basis of both archaeological and radiocarbon data. The lists of 14C dates for the monuments located in different parts of Eurasia are presented according to the periods of their existence. Generally, the 14C dates are confirmed the archaeological point of view and allow us to compare the chronological position of the European and Asian Scythian monuments on the united 14C time scale.
The Fifth International Radiocarbon Intercomparison (VIRI) continues the tradition of the TIRI (t... more The Fifth International Radiocarbon Intercomparison (VIRI) continues the tradition of the TIRI (third) and FIRI (fourth) (Scott 2003) intercomparisons and operates in addition to any within-laboratory quality assurance measures as an independent check on laboratory procedures. VIRI is a phased intercomparison; results for the first phase, which employed grain samples, were reported in Scott et al. (2007). The second phase, involving bone samples, is reported here. The third and final phase, which includes samples of peat, wood, and shell, has also been completed and a companion paper appears in these proceedings. Five bone samples were made available and included Sample E: mammoth bone (>5 half-lives); Sample F: horse bone (from Siberia, excavated in 2001; and Samples H and I: whale bones (approximately 2 half-lives). Sample G (human bone) was accessible only to accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) laboratories because of the limited amount of sample available. More than 40 labora...
Proficiency testing is a widely used, international procedure common within the analytical chemis... more Proficiency testing is a widely used, international procedure common within the analytical chemistry community. A proficiency trial (which VIRI is) often follows a standard protocol, including analysis that is typically based onz-scores, with one key quantity, σp. From a laboratory intercomparison (sometimes called a proficiency trial), we hope to gain an assessment of accuracy (in this case, from dendro-dated samples), laboratory precision (from any duplicate samples), and generally, an overall measure of performance, including measurement variability and hence realistic estimates of uncertainty. In addition, given our stated aim of creating an archive of reference materials, we also gain a determination of consensus values for new reference materials.VIRI samples have been chosen to deliver these objectives and the sample ages included in the different stages, by design, spanned modern to background. With regard to pretreatment, some samples required intensive pretreatment (e.g. b...
Two sediment sequences from Big Kyzykul Lake and the Shushenskoe paleolake in the Minusinsk depre... more Two sediment sequences from Big Kyzykul Lake and the Shushenskoe paleolake in the Minusinsk depression, Southern Siberia, were studied by pollen, microfossil, and geochemical analyses, as well as radiocarbon dating. The records indicate the persistence of an arid period between ∼11.7–7.6 cal kyr BP, increased effective moisture since ∼7.6 cal kyr BP, 2 humid impulses at ∼5.1 and 2.8 cal kyr BP separated by a dry interval, and the return to generally drier conditions after ∼1.5 cal kyr BP. This is contrary to the findings noted for the Eurasian temperate zone, but agrees with proxy data reported for arid and semi-arid zones of Central Asia. Reconstructed changes in climate and environment are in good agreement with archaeological data. Almost no evidence of the Mesolithic-Neolithic cultures has been reported for the depression, which is consistent with a dry early and mid-Holocene. Effective moisture started to rise from ∼7.6 cal kyr BP, followed by the beginning of human occupation ...
A major threat to the Scotch whisky industry is the sale of counterfeit single malt whiskies with... more A major threat to the Scotch whisky industry is the sale of counterfeit single malt whiskies with purported distillation years in the 19th and early- to mid-20th centuries. However, these are often much more recent spirits, distilled in the latter part of the 20th or first part of the 21st centuries. These sales impinge upon the reputation of auction houses, retailers, brand owners and distillers. The atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons in the 1950s and early 1960s has enabled a precise calibration curve to be created, however, there are several reasons why this may not be appropriate for establishing the year of whisky distillation. We have created a 14C calibration curve derived from known-age, single malt whiskies for the period 1950–2015 that enables whisky distilled during the period from 1955 onwards to have the distillation year determined to within 1–3 years for certain periods. However, because of the shape of the curve, two possible age ranges are often possible. The co...
Interlaboratory comparisons have been widely used in analytical chemistry and radiochemistry as a... more Interlaboratory comparisons have been widely used in analytical chemistry and radiochemistry as an important part of ongoing quality assurance programs. The14C community has been no exception in this respect, and in just under 20 years, there have been a number of significant and very extensive interlaboratory trials organized by individual laboratories and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to the benefit of the14C community (both labs and users) (Otletet al. 1980; ISG 1982; Scottet al. 1990; Rozanskiet al. 1992; Scottet al. 1992; Gulliksen and Scott 1995). The comparisons have varied widely in terms of sample type and preparation, but all have had as their primary goal the investigation of the comparability of results produced under possibly quite different laboratory protocols. As techniques have been developed and new labs formed, the reference materials created as a result of the intercomparisons have presented an opportunity for checking procedures and results. User...
There are at least four wooden intertidal platforms, also known as marine crannogs, in the Firth ... more There are at least four wooden intertidal platforms, also known as marine crannogs, in the Firth of Clyde, on the west coast of Scotland. The interpretation of these sites partly depends on their dating and, if coeval, they could point to the presence of a native maritime hub. Furthermore, the spatial coincidence with the terminus of the Antonine Wall has led to speculation about the role they may have played in Roman-native interaction during the occupation of southern Scotland in the early first millennium cal ad. Hence, a better absolute chronology is essential to evaluate whether the marine crannogs were contemporary with one another and whether they related to any known historic events. This article presents results of a wiggle-match dating project aimed at resolving these uncertainties at two of the sites in question, Dumbuck and Erskine Bridge crannogs. The results show that the construction of these sites pre-date direct Roman influence in Scotland. Furthermore, the results ...
Isopropyl-N-(3-chlorophenyl) carbamate (CIPC, common name Chlorpropham) is commonly used for post... more Isopropyl-N-(3-chlorophenyl) carbamate (CIPC, common name Chlorpropham) is commonly used for post-harvest sprout inhibition in stored potatoes. It is applied as a thermal fog which results in loss to the fabric of the store and the atmosphere. Recently, there have been concerns in the United Kingdom because of cross contamination of other crop commodities that were stored in buildings with a history of CIPC usage. This cross contamination may have occurred because of retained residues in the fabric of the stores. The retention of CIPC in concrete is poorly understood; therefore the requirement for a robust analytical method for the detection and quantification of CIPC in concrete is a critical first step in tackling this problem. A method using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with ultraviolet detection (HPLC UV/VIS) was validated. CIPC recoveries at three concentration levels (0.4, 4.0 and 40.0 μg g) were in the range of 90.7-97.0% with relative standard deviations between 2....
The marine radiocarbon reservoir effect (MRE) occurs as a spatially and temporally dependent vari... more The marine radiocarbon reservoir effect (MRE) occurs as a spatially and temporally dependent variable owing to localized changes in oceanic water composition. This study investigates ΔR values (deviations from the global average MRE whose ΔR = 0) during the period 500–1350 BP for the east coast of Scotland, where a complex estuarine system exists that drains into the semi-enclosed North Sea basin. Due to the availability of suitable archaeological samples, the data set has a distinct Medieval focus that spans the area from Aberdeen in the north to East Lothian in the south. Many of the ΔR values are not significantly different from 0 (the global average), but there are occasional excursions to negative values (max –172 ± 20) indicating the presence of younger water. These values show greater variability compared to other published data for this general region, suggesting that considerable care must be taken when dating marine derived samples from archaeological sites on the east coa...
We consider the suitability of commonly used Poisson counting statistics applied to background co... more We consider the suitability of commonly used Poisson counting statistics applied to background count rates measured in the new generation of low-background Packard liquid scintillation spectrometers. We also investigate the stability of these systems over long time intervals. Undetected instability will result in an underestimation of the precision of any result (i.e.,the calculated error will be too small), and, in the presence of a systematic source, could lead to inaccurate results. The work described here forms only a small part of a project to investigate the statistical criteria that should be applied to the performance of such counters. The procedures to be discussed here include the Poisson index of dispersion, x and s control charts and the MSSD test for detection of drift. These are illustrated on background count rates derived from the Packard 2260XL and 2000CA/LL.
The intertidal biota from Parton beach, close to the Sellafield nuclear fuel reprocessing plant, ... more The intertidal biota from Parton beach, close to the Sellafield nuclear fuel reprocessing plant, were all found to be enriched in radiocarbon relative to ambient background. The degree of enrichment appears to reflect the positions of the biota in the food chain once the dilution in seaweed from atmospheric uptake is taken into account. Close to the low-water mark, the order was mussels > limpets…
The object of the study was to assess the effects of a range of pretreatment/extraction schemes o... more The object of the study was to assess the effects of a range of pretreatment/extraction schemes on the yields of humic acid and humin obtained from peat and the subsequent radiocarbon ages. We analyzed peat from Flókadalur in northern Iceland, collecting material from a profile containing seven visible tephra horizons in the upper 3 m, whose form and extent indicated little disturbance to the section over the last 4000 yr. The results of a range of pretreatments demonstrated that time rather than the strength of alkali is the more important factor governing the extraction of humic acid. An increase in alkali molarity did not correspond to any systematic increase in yield, whereas an increase in time did, implying that the extraction is kinetically controlled. We found no evidence of variability in14C age due to pretreatment scheme or between different geochemical fractions of the peat. Further implications from this study are that bog stability and ecological simplicity produce a fa...
A previous radiocarbon dating and stable isotope study of directly associated ungulate and human ... more A previous radiocarbon dating and stable isotope study of directly associated ungulate and human bone samples from Late Mesolithic burials at Schela Cladovei in Romania established that there is a freshwater reservoir effect of approximately 500 yr in the Iron Gates reach of the Danube River valley in southeast Europe. Using the δ15N values as an indicator of the percentage of freshwater protein in the human diet, the 14C data for 24 skeletons from the site of Lepenski Vir were corrected for this reservoir effect. The results of the paired 14C and stable isotope measurements provide evidence of substantial dietary change over the period from about 9000 BP to about 300 BP. The data from the Early Mesolithic to the Chalcolithic are consistent with a 2-component dietary system, where the linear plot of isotopic values reflects mixing between the 2 end-members to differing degrees. Typically, the individuals of Mesolithic age have much heavier δ15N signals and slightly heavier δ13C, whi...
Bell Beaker pottery spread across western and central Europe beginning around 2750 BCE before dis... more Bell Beaker pottery spread across western and central Europe beginning around 2750 BCE before disappearing between 2200-1800 BCE. The mechanism of its expansion is a topic of long-standing debate, with support for both cultural diffusion and human migration. We present new genome-wide ancient DNA data from 170 Neolithic, Copper Age and Bronze Age Europeans, including 100 Beaker-associated individuals. In contrast to the Corded Ware Complex, which has previously been identified as arriving in central Europe following migration from the east, we observe limited genetic affinity between Iberian and central European Beaker Complex-associated individuals, and thus exclude migration as a significant mechanism of spread between these two regions. However, human migration did have an important role in the further dissemination of the Beaker Complex, which we document most clearly in Britain using data from 80 newly reported individuals dating to 3900-1200 BCE. British Neolithic farmers were...
To evaluate the transfer of Sellafield-derived radiocarbon ((14)C) to top predators in the UK mar... more To evaluate the transfer of Sellafield-derived radiocarbon ((14)C) to top predators in the UK marine environment, (14)C activities were examined in stranded marine mammals. All samples of harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) obtained from the Irish Sea showed (14)C enrichment above background. Mammal samples obtained from the West of Scotland, including harbour porpoise, grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) and harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) showed (14)C enrichment but to a lesser extent. This study demonstrates, for the first time, enriched (14)C is transferred through the marine food web to apex predators as a consequence of ongoing nuclear reprocessing activities at Sellafield. Total Sellafield (14)C discharge activity 24months prior to stranding and, in particular, distance of animal stranding site from Sellafield are significant variables affecting individual (14)C activity. (14)C activities of West of Scotland harbour porpoises suggest they did not forage in the Irish Sea prior to ...
Radiocarbon (14 C) has been measured in single tree ring samples collected from the southwest of ... more Radiocarbon (14 C) has been measured in single tree ring samples collected from the southwest of the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant. Our data indicate south-westwards dispersion of radiocarbon and the highest 14 C activity observed so far in the local environment during the 2011 accident. The abnormally high 14 C activity in the late wood of 2011 ring may imply an unknown source of radiocarbon nearby after the accident. The influence of 14 C shrank from 30 km during normal reactor operation to 14 km for the accident in the northwest of FDNPP, but remains unclear in the southwest.
Crannogs are ancient artificial islands found in Scotland and Ireland, which typically had some s... more Crannogs are ancient artificial islands found in Scotland and Ireland, which typically had some sort of dwelling place constructed on them that served variously as farmers' homesteads, status symbols, refuges in times of trouble, hunting and fishing stations, etc. Substantial…
American journal of physical anthropology, Oct 28, 2017
The nature of land use and mobility during the transition to agriculture has often been debated. ... more The nature of land use and mobility during the transition to agriculture has often been debated. Here, we use isotope analysis of tooth enamel from human populations buried in two different Neolithic burial monuments, Penywyrlod and Ty Isaf, in south-east Wales, to examine patterns of land use and to evaluate where individuals obtained their childhood diet. We employ strontium ((87) Sr/(86) Sr) and oxygen (δ(18) O) and carbon (δ(13) C) isotope analysis of enamel from adjacent molars. We compare strontium isotope values measured in enamel to locally bioavailable (87) Sr/(86) Sr values. We combine discussion of these results with evaluation of new radiocarbon dates obtained from both sites. The majority of enamel samples from Penywyrlod have strontium isotope ratios above 0.7140. In contrast, the majority of those from Ty Isaf have (87) Sr/(86) Sr values below 0.7140. At Penywyrlod oxygen isotope ratios range between 25.9 and 28.2 ‰ (mean 26.7 ± 0.6 ‰, 1σ, n = 15) and enamel δ(13) Cca...
Radiocarbon activities were measured in annual tree rings for the years 2009 to 2015 from Japanes... more Radiocarbon activities were measured in annual tree rings for the years 2009 to 2015 from Japanese cedar trees (Cryptomeria japonica) collected at six sites ranging from 2.5-38 km northwest and north of the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant. The (14)C specific activity varied from 280.4 Bq kg(-1) C in 2010 to 226.0 Bq kg(-1) C in 2015. The elevated (14)C activities in the 2009 and 2010 rings confirmed (14)C discharges during routine reactor operations, whereas those activities that were indistinguishable from background in 2012-2015 coincided with the permanent shutdown of the reactors after the accident in 2011. High-resolution (14)C analysis of the 2011 ring indicated (14)C releases during the Fukushima accident. The resulted (14)C activity decreased with increasing distance from the plant. The maximum (14)C activity released during the period of the accident was measured 42.4 Bq kg(-1) C above the natural ambient (14)C background. Our findings indicate that, unlike other Fuk...
Ecosystem uptake and transfer of Sellafield-derived radiocarbon ((14)C) were examined within the ... more Ecosystem uptake and transfer of Sellafield-derived radiocarbon ((14)C) were examined within the West of Scotland marine environment. The dissolved inorganic carbon component of seawater, enriched in (14)C, is transported to the West of Scotland where it is transferred through the marine food web. Benthic and pelagic biota with variable life-spans living in the North Channel and Clyde Sea show comparable (14)C activities. This suggests that mixing of (14)C within the Irish Sea results in a relatively constant northwards dispersal of activity. Benthic species in the Firth of Lorn have similar (14)C enrichments, demonstrating that Irish Sea residual water is the dominant source to this area. Measured (14)C activities in biota show some similarity to western Irish Sea activities, indicating that dispersion to the West of Scotland is significant with respect to the fate of Sellafield (14)C releases. Activities measured in commercially important species do not pose any significant radiol...
The paper is compares the chronology of the monuments of the Scythian epoch located in the east a... more The paper is compares the chronology of the monuments of the Scythian epoch located in the east and west of the Eurasian steppe zone on the basis of both archaeological and radiocarbon data. The lists of 14C dates for the monuments located in different parts of Eurasia are presented according to the periods of their existence. Generally, the 14C dates are confirmed the archaeological point of view and allow us to compare the chronological position of the European and Asian Scythian monuments on the united 14C time scale.
The Fifth International Radiocarbon Intercomparison (VIRI) continues the tradition of the TIRI (t... more The Fifth International Radiocarbon Intercomparison (VIRI) continues the tradition of the TIRI (third) and FIRI (fourth) (Scott 2003) intercomparisons and operates in addition to any within-laboratory quality assurance measures as an independent check on laboratory procedures. VIRI is a phased intercomparison; results for the first phase, which employed grain samples, were reported in Scott et al. (2007). The second phase, involving bone samples, is reported here. The third and final phase, which includes samples of peat, wood, and shell, has also been completed and a companion paper appears in these proceedings. Five bone samples were made available and included Sample E: mammoth bone (>5 half-lives); Sample F: horse bone (from Siberia, excavated in 2001; and Samples H and I: whale bones (approximately 2 half-lives). Sample G (human bone) was accessible only to accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) laboratories because of the limited amount of sample available. More than 40 labora...
Proficiency testing is a widely used, international procedure common within the analytical chemis... more Proficiency testing is a widely used, international procedure common within the analytical chemistry community. A proficiency trial (which VIRI is) often follows a standard protocol, including analysis that is typically based onz-scores, with one key quantity, σp. From a laboratory intercomparison (sometimes called a proficiency trial), we hope to gain an assessment of accuracy (in this case, from dendro-dated samples), laboratory precision (from any duplicate samples), and generally, an overall measure of performance, including measurement variability and hence realistic estimates of uncertainty. In addition, given our stated aim of creating an archive of reference materials, we also gain a determination of consensus values for new reference materials.VIRI samples have been chosen to deliver these objectives and the sample ages included in the different stages, by design, spanned modern to background. With regard to pretreatment, some samples required intensive pretreatment (e.g. b...
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Papers by Gordon Cook