Dear list members

I have received an enquiry (see below), from a post-doc here at Plymouth, that members may be able to help me with. Please feel free to reply either directly to me or the post-doc, or via the list.

Many thanks

Steve

Enquiry

I am undertaking ¹⁴C dating of marine cores using specimens of the foraminifera Globigerinoides ruber. G. ruber specimens can be white or pink, and when using this species for stable isotope analysis (O and C) typically only one colour is picked to avoid differing fractionation between the different white and pink specimens. I am unsure however whether when undertaking ¹⁴C measurements if a separation of the pink and white specimens is necessary, both colours inhabiting (I believe) the same part of the water column. A search of the literature has yielded no definite answer and any information of any effect the colour of ruber may have (if any) on ¹⁴C dates would be great.

Thank you

Dr Jodie Fisher

Post Doctoral Research Fellow

School of Earth, Ocean and Environmental Sciences

University of Plymouth

Drake Circus

Plymouth

Devon

PL4 8AA

UK

Tel: +44 (0)1752 238673

Fax: +44 (0)1752 233117

email: [log in to unmask]

web page: http://www.plymouth.ac.uk/pages/dynamic.asp?page=staffdetails&id=jkfisher

Palaeontology and Palaeoenvironments Research Group website http://www.research.plymouth.ac.uk/paleopalenv/

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Dr. Stephen Grimes

Senior Lecturer in Stable Isotope Geochemistry & Climate Change

School of Earth Ocean and Environmental Sciences

University of Plymouth

Drake Circus

Plymouth

Devon

PL4 8AA

Office: Room 118 Fitzroy Building

Tel. +44 (0)1752 233109

Fax. +44 (0)1752 233117

e-mail. [log in to unmask]

Web page. http://www.plymouth.ac.uk/pages/dynamic.asp?page=staffdetails&id=sgrimes