Radiocarbon age of organic carbon bound in diatom frustules

The sediments were analyzed using a accelerator mass spectrometer (AMS) at the National Ocean Sciences Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Facility, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Research was made possible by a grant from the US National Science Foundation Office of Polar Programs and collaboration with French researchers who provided approximately 65% of the samples analyzed.

Currently, the data is available in spreadsheet format but only from the investigators listed below. Results available to date indicate that diatoms are often transported and that diatom-bound organic carbon can accordingly be substantially older than the sediment horizon in which it is found. The data set will be published as soon as results from diatomaceous debris sorted according to degree of preservation is available.