Radiocarbon Reservoir Ages in the Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea

• Published in: Radiocarbon
• Main Authors: Siani, Giuseppe, Paterne, Martine, Arnold, Maurice, Bard, Edouard, Métivier, Bernard, Tisnerat, Nadine, Bassinot, Franck
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 2000
• Subjects: North Atlantic
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0033822200059075; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0033822200059075

We measured apparent marine radiocarbon ages for the Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea, and Red Sea by accelerator mass spectrometry radiocarbon analyses of 26 modern, pre-bomb mollusk shells collected living between AD 1837 and 1950. The marine reservoir (R(t)) ages were estimated at some 390 ± 85 yr BP, 415 ± 90 yr BP and 440 ± 40 yr BP, respectively. R(t) ages in the Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea are comparable to those for the North Atlantic Ocean (<65°N), in accordance with the modern oceanic circulation pattern. The ΔR values of about 35 ± 70 yr and 75 ± 60 yr in the Mediterranean area show that the global box-diffusion carbon model, used to calculate R(t) ages, reproduces the measured marine 14 C R(t) ages in these oceanic areas. Nevertheless, high values of standard deviations, larger than measurement uncertainties are obtained and express decadal R(t) changes. Such large standard deviations are indeed related to a decrease of the apparent marine ages of some 220 yr from 1900 AD to 1930 AD in both the Mediterranean Sea and the western North Atlantic Ocean.