THE NEED TO UNIFY THE DECAY CONSTANTS OF K40 USED IN AGE CALCULATIONS
Title:
THE NEED TO UNIFY THE DECAY CONSTANTS OF K40 USED IN AGE CALCULATIONS
Author:
Rubinshteyn, M. M. Gel'man, O.Ya.
Appeared in:
International geology review
Paging:
Volume 6 (1964) nr. 5 pages 889-894
Year:
1964-05
Contents:
Decay constants currently in use for λκ, and λβ in dating work are: British and American workers usually use λκ = 0.584 and λβ = 4.72; Canadian ones λκ = 0.589 and λβ = 4.76; and Soviet ones λκ = 0.557 and X0 = 4.72. Many practical considerations indicate that the best choice of standard values is K40/K = 0.0119 percent, λβ = 4.72, and λκ = 0.584, which are the values of which most of the latest scales are based (in particular, Holme s and Kulp's). The differences mean that the ages for Cambrian and later times calculated in the U.S.S.R. are 3 percent to 5 percent larger than those calculated from the constants used abroad. Nearly all published argon ages derive either from the above values or from λβ = 4.72, λκ = 0.557 (these being the ones recommended by the Commission on Geologic Dating, Division of Geologic and Geographic Sciences, Academy of Sciences of theU.S.S.R., in 1959). It is only when argon ages are compared with ones from other methods that the lack of precision in λκ and λβ introduces systematic errors into calculated ages. The final appropriate authority to decide on obligatory use of unified constants must be the International Geological Congress. R. M. Hutchinson
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