Isotope-ratio Mass Spectrometry - Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS)

Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS)

For isotopes occurring at extremely low levels, accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) can be used. For example, the decay rate of the radioisotope 14C is widely used to date organic materials, but this approach is limited to relatively large samples no more than a few thousand years old. AMS extended the range of 14C dating to about 60,000 years BP, and is about 106 times more sensitive than conventional IRMS.

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