The assessment of 210Pb data from sites with varying sediment accumulation rates

The last few years have seen a dramatic growth in the use of 210Pb sediment dating. Despite this, considerable doubt still surrounds the nature of the processes by which 210Pb is deposited in lake sediments, and this has lead to a situation where there is a choice of dating models offering different interpretations of 210Pb data. In assessing 210Pb data it is therefore essential to first of all determine whether data is consistent with the assumptions of the dating model, and to then compare the 210Pb chronology with independent dating evidence. We have tested 210Pb data from a wide variety of sites, and our calculations indicate that the crs (constant rate of 210Pb supply) model provides a reasonably accurate chronology when the total 210Pb contents of cores from neighbouring locations are comparable.

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