Calibrating New Zealand radiocarbon dates of marine shells

Abstract

Radiocarbon activity of 11 modern marine shell samples from the New Zealand region is enhanced compared with the surface layers of the average world ocean. The measured enhancement, ΔR, is equivalent to -31 ± 13 years. On this basis, the Institute of Nuclear Sciences will now use a value of -30 years in reporting calibrated ages for marine shell samples. -Authors