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The National Ocean Sciences Accelerator Mass Spectrometry
Facility (NOSAMS) was established with support from the National
Science Foundation in 1989 at the Woods Hole Oceanographic
Institution. NOSAMS provides analyses of 14C at
natural abundance levels to the ocean sciences research community.
Applications include dating of sedimentary deposits, studies
of the sources of carbon-bearing materials in sediments and
in the marine water column, studies of paleocirculation and
ventilation (comparison of 14C differences between
planktonic and benthic foraminifera, time series in corals),
and detailed studies of circulation and carbon cycling in
the modern ocean (three dimensional mapping of the distribution
of 14C in dissolved inorganic carbon).
Photograph of Bob Schneider loading samples into the tandetron accelerator ca 1997
Our routine, reported precision for the Fraction Modern
of samples containing greater than 250 micrograms carbon and
of modern age is 5-7 per mil.
NOSAMS accepts samples from all qualified research laboratories
and charges fees that vary according to the difficulty of
analysis and the nature of the project. Samples from federally
supported research programs receive the lowest rates. Overall,
the objective of this facility is to support research in all
studies of global change.
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