Carbon 14 dating

In this article time dating based on carbon 14 method is reviewed, its limits are explained and recent improvements are presented. Carbon 14 is a by-product of the interactions of cosmic protons with air molecules. The fluctuations of the quantity of carbon 14 present in the atmosphere are responsible for the shift observed between the result given by the method and the real age. This shift appears for ages greater than 2000 years and is estimated to 1000 years for an age of 10.000 years. As a consequence carbon 14 dating method requires calibration by comparing with other methods like dendrochronology (till 11.000 years) and time dating of fossil corals (till 26.000 years and soon till 50.000 years). It is assumed that the fluctuations of carbon 14 in the atmosphere are due to: - the changes in the intensity and composition of cosmic radiations itself (due to the motion of the sun system through the galaxy or due to the explosion of a super-novae in the surroundings of the sun system); - the changes of the earth magnetic field that diverts cosmic rays; and - the changes in the interactions between the atmosphere and the oceans knowing that 40 tons of carbon 14 are dissolved in seas while only 1 ton belongs to the atmosphere. (A.C.)