14C ages of ostracodes from Pleistocene lake sediments of the western Great Basin, USA - Results of progressive acid leaching

Abstract

Progressive dissolution experiments were performed on samples of ostracode shells from lacustrine sediments from the western Great Basin to remove contamination of the surface by secondary calcite. The observed age differences between the external and residual fractions were as great as 2000 to 6000 yr. A "plateau" in ages of the last fractions was obtained only for 1 sample; however, results of repeated experiments resulted in very good agreement of the final ages. A comparison with previously published chronologies based on bulk radiocarbon ages of ostracodes from Wilson Creek (Benson et al. 1990) shows that leaching is imperative for dating samples older than 20 ka BP. This study focuses on the problem of contamination and its removal. However, the final chronology of the Wilson Creek Formation (and other late Pleistocene lacustrine sediments) will require additional dating of other sections as well as establishment of a reservoir effect correction.