Sessions list

Important Abstract submissions for 14C & Archaeology are limited to the Technical (T) and the Archaeology (A) sessions.

Technical (T)

T01         Developments in measurement techniques

Conveners: Robin Golser, Hans-Arno Synal

Session to present latest instrumental developments and achievements regarding analytical procedures to optimize throughput, efficiency, and accuracy of radiocarbon measurements as well as novel techniques for radiocarbon detection.

T02         Developments in classical sample pretreatment

Conveners: Marie-Josée Nadeau, Rachel Wood

Session devoted to latest achievements in sample pretreatment protocols including chemical and physical procedures to gain most authentic specimens of various materials common for radiocarbon detection.

T03        Novel methods and applications for radiocarbon analysis of natural matrices

Conveners: Negar Haghipour, Caroline Welte, Yusuke Yokoyama

This session aims at bringing together method and tool developers that allow pushing the frontiers in the use of radiocarbon in a variety of fields including studies on the carbon cycle, (paleo-)climate, geology and hydrology. We welcome contributions that involve novel or improved methods for characterizing of radiocarbon signatures in different archives (e.g., air, water, sediments, soils and speleothems). This includes but is not limited to methods for fractionation of organic matter based on physical or chemical properties, assessment of spatially resolved measurements of natural matrices, methods for reduction of extraneous carbon contamination, and approaches for radiocarbon tracing of specific components.

T04         New and updated facilities, Lab management, status reports

Conveners: Alex Cherkinsky, Walter Kutschera, Guaciara M. dos Santos

This session is devoted to classical status reports of measurements facilities. Presentation of new facilities as well as updates on existing facilities are welcome, so are reports on improved lab management procedures. Please note that all presentations will be allocated to posters.

Archaeology (A)

A01        Agriculture, Migration, DNA

Conveners: Claudia Gerling, Ferran Antolin

This session invites papers presenting research on prehistoric populations, their development, and migration patterns. Studies may include radiocarbon dating of farming/domestication evidence (crop or animal remains), as well as human remains. Combined analyses with gas ion source approaches, stable isotopes and DNA reconstructions are particularly welcome.

A02        Diet and Reservoir Effect

Conveners: John Meadows, Dorothée G. Drucker, Ricardo Fernandes

The isotopic composition of food is reflected in archaeological human and animal remains. This session is dedicated to the effect of diet and carbon sources on 14C concentrations, and radiocarbon ages. We invite studies of marine and freshwater reservoir ages and stable isotopes associated with archaeological research. Both data and modeling of reservoir effect and calibration contributions are welcome.

A03        Archaeological samples for accurate radiocarbon dating

Conveners: Elisabetta Boaretto, Marta Caroselli

This session accepts papers dedicated to sampling in the field, macroscopic and microscopic characterization of the sample material including the relation to site formation processes. Papers on alternative dateable material beside charred remains and bones are welcome. Applying Bayesian analysis to improve precision of the radiocarbon dating.

A04        Archaeology and radiocarbon dating at the limit of the method

Conveners: Irka Hajdas, Helen Fewlass, Thomas Higham

This session addresses the issue of radiocarbon dating of material older than 30 ka. A focus is set on the improvement of background and its importance on the calculation of finite ages. We invite studies dedicated to improvement and extensions of chronologies for the Palaeolithic sites around the globe.

A05        Geoarchaeology: humans, landscapes, climate and ecology

Conveners: Christine Hatte, Natalia Piotrowska

Human activity has an impact on the environment and the landscape. We invite papers presenting radiocarbon chronologies applied in interdisciplinary studies (paleoclimate, geomorphology, geochemistry, ecology) of archaeological sites and their environmental context. Papers dedicated to improved chronologies and dating transition between cultural/archaeological/climatic phases in different geographic locations are welcome.

A06        Art and Cultural Heritage

Conveners: Anita Quiles, Lior Regev, Alex Bayliss

Radiocarbon dating is often used in protection and conservation studies of tangible cultural heritage. This session will focus on dating prehistoric and historic objects, including buildings and urbanistic environment. We invite papers dedicated to radiocarbon dating of specific materials (support material, paint, mortars, pottery and more) and to high precision dating e.g. by using wiggle matching, Bayesian models and cosmic events.

A07        Radiocarbon and the Protection of Cultural Heritage

Conveners: Irka Hajdas, Timothy Jull

Radiocarbon community is working for protection of cultural heritage. In this session we discuss the issue of radiocarbon dating being used to date antique objects. Examples of illicit/suspicious objects from laboratories are welcome.

Global and Regional Carbon Cycles (G)

G01        Atmospheric radiocarbon

Conveners: Sönke Szidat, Jocelyn Turnbull 

This session is designed to highlight measurement and modelling studies of radiocarbon in atmospheric CO2, methane and other atmospheric components such as aerosols in the context of local to global-scale carbon cycling, with the goal of constraining sources and sinks of these components and their dynamics in response to natural processes and anthropogenic perturbations.

G02        Oceanic carbon cycling

Conveners: Brett Walker, Thomas Blattmann, Maxi Castrillejo, Roberta Hansman

This session provides a forum for presenting radiocarbon-based investigations related to different facets of the oceanic carbon cycle spanning different carbon pools (dissolved inorganic and organic carbon, suspended, sinking and sedimentary particulate carbon), coastal and open ocean systems and all ocean realms (surface to abyssal/hadal waters) and their links to ocean ecosystems.

G03        Freshwater aquatic continuum

Conveners: Philippa Ascough, Nathalie Dubois 

Contributions are welcome for diverse studies focusing on the application of radiocarbon to examine specific aspects or the entirety of the freshwater aquatic continuum, including soil and ground waters, streams and rivers, wetlands and lakes. Examples include use of radiocarbon observation and/or modelling approaches to explore carbon sources and turnover, carbon flow through aquatic food webs, and exchange with different reservoirs along the aquatic continuum.

G04        The polar carbon cycle – radiocarbon in the cryosphere

Conveners: Gesine Mollenhauer, Lisa Broeder

Contributions are solicited for studies focusing on diverse aspects of carbon cycling in polar regions as well as at high elevations (the “third pole”), including glacial processes, permafrost carbon dynamics, high latitude/elevation ecosystems, and land-ocean interactions in polar regions.

G05        Terrestrial carbon dynamics

Conveners: Susan Trumbore, Frank Hagedorn

The terrestrial carbon dynamics session encourages submission of contributions focusing on radiocarbon-based investigations of different components of terrestrial ecosystems and associated landscapes. Topics including studies of vegetation and soil dynamics in forest, grassland and agricultural systems, as well as the influence critical zone processes (e.g., climate, lithological and topographic controls on weathering, erosion and soil formation/stability), and application of novel radiocarbon modelling approaches (e.g., using bomb-spike and other transient signals).

Climate / Calibration (C)

C01         Climate and Paleoclimate studies

Conveners: Edouard Bard, Franziska Lechleitner

Contributions using radiocarbon for recent or past climate reconstructions and for calibration of paleo-records are welcome in this session (e.g., radiocarbon dating, synchronization of paleoclimate records, radiocarbon as a paleo-tracer of the carbon cycle).

C02         Anthropogenic impacts

Conveners: Mihály Molnár, Xiaomei Xu

This session is devoted to studies that track or identify human activities using radiocarbon. Examples include emissions from nuclear power plants or fossil fuel burning.

C03         Radiocarbon production and cosmic events

Conveners: Michael Dee, Fusa Miyake

Studies focusing on (past) cosmogenic radiocarbon production are welcome in this session. Applications include the determination of new cosmic events (e.g. solar energetic particle events) or the reconstruction of past solar or earth magnetic field strength changes (e.g., from tree-rings or carbonate records).

C04         Dendrochronology and radiocarbon analysis

Conveners: Jesper Olsen, Charlotte Pearson, Lukas Wacker

In this session reconstructions of past atmospheric radiocarbon concentrations from dendrochronologically dated tree-ring records are welcome.  The main focus is on creating a more precise and accurate atmospheric calibration curve with high temporal resolution. Also, studies using the combination of dendrochronology and radiocarbon for more accurate dating are welcome (e.g., radiocarbon wiggle-matching or exact year dating using the radiocarbon imprint of cosmic events).

C05         Radiocarbon calibration: data, tools and modelling

Conveners: Quan Hua, Christopher Ramsey

Progresses in radiocarbon calibration with new data, tools and modelling are presented in this session.

Tracer applications (Ta)

Ta1         Tracer applications: Forensics, environment, biomedicine

Conveners: Gianluca Quarta, David Chivall, Daniele De Maria

This session covers a wide range of applications in forensics, such as the identification of human remains using radiocarbon and stable isotopes, applications in the detection of counterfeit in art, industrial products (food, beverages, biofuels, bioplastic), illicit trade in wildlife and its derivatives (i.e., ivory, trees, skin, wool), environmental damages. The session is also dedicated to applications in biomedical studies. Presentations may include studies on radiocarbon dating of human cells for the understanding of turnover time in the human body as well as the use of radiocarbon as a tracer in pharmaceutical research.

Cosmogenic isotopes (O)

O01        In-situ radiocarbon and other cosmogenic nuclides

Conveners: David Fink, Timothy Jull, Susan Ivy-Ochs 

We encourage submissions from the broad spectrum of landscape change studies using the cosmogenic nuclides 10Be, 26Al, 36Cl and in situ 14C. Such studies include, but are not limited to: geomorphological applications with not only cosmogenic dating of landforms but radiocarbon dating of organic material in the sediments and multi-nuclide studies using various nuclide combinations and approaches to age calculations.