Radiocarbon and dendrochronology

The radiocarbon dating method relies on calibration through an independent dating method. Dendrochronology is an ideal partner of radiocarbon, because tree-rings are close-to-perfect archives of the atmospheric ¹⁴C level, and the tree-ring time scale can be built beyond doubt with high replication. Over the past 30 years, several stages of ¹⁴C calibration data sets have been constructed from the work of tree-ring laboratories in Europe and North America. This process is outlined and the present state is documented. In turn, ¹⁴C age fluctuations, caused mainly by helio-magnetic changes, can be used to anchor floating tree-ring sections to the calendar scale with a precision of a few decades.