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Marine radiocarbon reservoir effect of coastal waters off Cape Verde archipelago

Publication . Monge Soares, Antonio M.; Matos Martins, Jose M.; Cardoso, João Luis

Quantification of the marine radiocarbon reservoir effect (Delta R) is essential in order to calibrate conventional C-14 dates from marine shell samples with reliability. Delta R also provides information concerning the intensity of coastal upwelling in marine regions influenced by this phenomenon. C-14 ages of closely associated marine samples (mollusk shells) and terrestrial samples (goat bones) from Sao Vicente Island, Cape Verde Archipelago, permitted the first calculation of the marine C-14 reservoir effect in this region. A Delta R weighted mean value of 70 +/- 70 C-14 yr was obtained. This value is in accordance with the previously published oceanographic conditions of the region indicating the existence of a seasonal active upwelling regime.

2011Journal article

Open access

Improving the 14c dating of marine shells from the Canary Islands for constructing more reliable and accurate chronologies

Publication . Matos Martins, Jose M.; Mederos Martin, Alfredo; Cesario Portela, Paulo J.; Monge Soares, Antonio M.

Radiocarbon dating of closely associated marine mollusk shells and terrestrial material (charred wood or bone) collected from archaeological contexts on Tenerife and Fuerteventura islands allowed us to quantify the marine C-14 reservoir effect (Delta R) around the Canary Archipelago. Coastal Fuerteventura has a positive weighted mean Delta R value of +185 +/- 30 C-14 yr, while for Tenerife a range of negative and positive values was obtained, resulting in a Delta R weighted mean value of 0 +/- 35 C-14 yr. These values are in accordance with the hydrodynamic system present off the Canary Islands characterized by a coastal upwelling regime that affects the eastern islands (Fuerteventura and Lanzarote) but not the other islands of the archipelago, namely Tenerife. Because of this oceanographic pattern, we recommend the extrapolation of these results to the remaining islands of the archipelago, i.e. the first value must be used for the eastern islands, while for the central and western islands the acceptable Delta R value is 0 +/- 35 C-14 yr.

2012Journal article

Open access