Northwest Pacific marine reservoir correction estimated from annually banded coral from Ishigaki Island, Southern Japan

Abstract

We assessed marine reservoir age R(t) for the costal area of the northwest Pacific using radiocarbon measurements of the annually banded coral core (Porites sp) collected on Ishigaki Island in southern Japan. Reservoir age R(t) during the early 1900s at the Pacific coast of Ishigaki Island ranged between 290 and 455 14C yr, with a weighted mean of 355 ± 25 14C yr (n=5, ±1 σ). The regional-specific ΔR, defined as 14C age difference of regional and world ocean surface layer, was 35 ± 25 14C yr (n=5, ±1 σ) on average and increased between 1900 and 1950. © 2001 by the Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona.