Hostname: page-component-6898cfcb55-th4rj Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-11-11T19:10:04.163Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Further Developments in On-Line Computing and Radiocarbon Dating At the British Museum

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 July 2016

A D Hewson and
J A Hall
A D Hewson
Affiliation:
Research Laboratory, The British Museum, London WC1B 3DG
J A Hall
Affiliation:
Research Laboratory, The British Museum, London WC1B 3DG
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the 'Save PDF' action button.

In November 1973 the British Museum Research Laboratory acquired a Hewlett Packard 2100A mini-computer for the storage, calculation and retrieval of scientific measurements made on museum objects. A part of the computer's work is the calculation of radiocarbon dates based on the liquid scintillation counting of 14C activities. A system of programs and files has been developed and has been in daily use since August 1974 (Hall and Hewson, 1977).

This paper describes changes and improvements to the system to make it more flexible so that it now provides the full range of facilities required by an active 14C laboratory. The reporting procedures in particular have been restructured in the light of experience. The paper will be of interest to all laboratories that have, or hope to have, access to similar mini- or micro-computers.

Information

Type
Techniques
Information
Radiocarbon , Volume 22 , Issue 2 , 1980, pp. 455 - 460
Copyright
Copyright © The American Journal of Science 

References

Broecker, W S and Olson, E A, 1959, Lamont radiocarbon measurements VI: Am Jour Sci, Radiocarbon Supp, v 1, p 111–132.Google Scholar
Broecker, W S and Olson, E A 1961, Lamont radiocarbon measurements VIII: Radiocarbon, v 3, p 176–204.Google Scholar
Callow, W J, Baker, M J and Hassall, G I, 1965, National Physical Laboratory radiocarbon measurements III: Radiocarbon, v 7, p 156–161.Google Scholar
Hall, J A, and Hewson, A D, 1977, On-line computing and radiocarbon dating at the British Museum: Jour Archaeol Sci, v 4, p 89–94.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Otlet, R L, 1979, An assessment of laboratory errors in liquid scintillation methods of 14C dating, in Berger, Rainer, and Suess, H E, eds, Radiocarbon dating, Internatl conf on radiocarbon dating, 9th, Proc: Los Angeles, Univ California Press p 256–267.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pearson, G W, 1979, Precise 14C measurement by liquid scintillation counting: Radiocarbon, v 21, p 1–21.Google Scholar
Stuiver, Minze and Polach, H A, 1977, Discussion: Reporting of 14C data: Radiocarbon v 19, p 355–363.CrossRefGoogle Scholar