Data for: Radiocarbon Measurements of Foraminifera with the Mini Carbon Dating System (Micadas) at the Centro Nacional de Aceleradores
Description
In this work, we tested a Carbonate Handling System (CHS) coupled with an automated graphitization system (AGE) installed at Centro Nacional de Aceleradores (CNA) in Seville on carbonate reference materials for automated sample processing including vial flushing, carbonate dissolution and transfer of the evolved CO2 from the septum sealed tubes to the AGE system. Then, we processed foraminifera shells and bulk sediments collected in the Mediterranean Sea during the VECTOR oceanographic cruise (TRANSMED) for AMC 14C dating with the MICADAS installed at the CNA. The reproducibility of 14C ages for blanks and carbonate standard materials indicates that reliable 14C analyses are possible for carbonate samples with a 14C age up to 50,000 yr BP. With this automated procedure we were able to date monospecific planktonic foraminifera (Globigerinoides inflata and Globigerinoides ruber) younger than 1000 yr BP.