Variability in North Atlantic marine radiocarbon reservoir effects at c. AD 1000

14 C age measurements made on samples from three archaeological sites located on North Atlantic coasts were used to investigate the marine reservoir effect (MRE) at c.AD 1000. This is an important period within human cultural and palaeoenvironmental research as it is a time when Norse expansion to t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Holocene
Main Authors: Ascough, P. L., Cook, G. T., Church, M. J., Dugmore, A. J., Arge, S. V., McGovern, T. H.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publications 2006
Subjects:
Paleontology
Earth-Surface Processes
Ecology
Archeology
Global and Planetary Change
North Atlantic
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1191/0959683606hl913rr
http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1191/0959683606hl913rr
Description
Summary:14 C age measurements made on samples from three archaeological sites located on North Atlantic coasts were used to investigate the marine reservoir effect (MRE) at c.AD 1000. This is an important period within human cultural and palaeoenvironmental research as it is a time when Norse expansion to the North Atlantic islands occurred, during what appears to be a period of ameliorating climatic conditions. This makes improved chronological precision and accuracy at this time highly desirable. The data indicate a potential latitudinal variation in MRE at c. AD 1000 from a ΔR of-142±16 14 C yr at Omey Island (53° 32' N) to 64±13 14 C yr at Undir Junkarinsfløtti (61° 51' N). The results are compared with modern assessments of MRE values within the context of oceanographic and climatic regimes that provide a possible driving mechanism for spatial and temporal variation in MRE.

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