Historical Oceanic Radiocarbon Measurements from 1955-1974

Global ocean basins contain roughly 1500 historical measurements of radiocarbon (Δ14C) in dissolved inorganic carbon, compiled from published articles. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration digitized samples collected at the surface and various depths between 1955 and 1974. Data includes location, depth, temperature, salinity, Δ14C, δ13C, and dissolved inorganic carbon concentration.

Use Cases

• Modeling historical ocean carbon uptake and circulation patterns based on Δ14C measurements.
• Calibrating or validating radiocarbon dating techniques for marine samples using the reported Δ14C and uncertainty values.
• Analyzing spatial and temporal trends in ocean chemistry using the geospatial coordinates and date fields.
• Studying the relationship between oceanographic parameters like temperature, salinity, and carbon isotopes.

Strengths

• Compiles roughly 1500 observations from multiple historical studies, providing a consolidated source.
• Covers a defined time period from 1955 to 1974, offering a pre-GEOSECS baseline.
• Includes data from all major ocean basins and multiple depths, suggesting broad spatial coverage.
• Documents specific methodological corrections and data handling procedures for transparency.

Limitations

• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• The description notes potential reliability issues with some δ13C measurements from a specific source.

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce

Collection Method

Compiled and digitized from published articles by Bien et al., Broecker et al., Fairhall and Young, and Linick.

Time Range

1955-1974

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-05 22:25:27.473008; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Global, covering all major ocean basins.