2005 Volume 50 Issue Special Pages S209-S217
Volcanic stratigraphy and radiocarbon (14C) dating have contributed in establishing the chronological framework of eruptive histories of Japanese volcanoes during the past 10,000 years. This paper presents an overview of 14C dating as well as other dating methods used for eruptive products with emphasis on new technical aspects that were developed in the last decade. A number of eruptive ages of many volcanoes in Japan were determined by 14C dating using accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS), which can measure very small samples i. e. 1mg of carbon. AMS is the most convenient method to use in dating paleosols which directly underlie tephra layers. The 14C calibration curve and programs are widely available. The 14C wiggle matching for single annual-ring is useful for high-accurate dating. Other methods such as fission-track dating, thermoluminescence dating, and paleomagnetic age determination are also applicable for the Holocene eruptive products. To establish and refine the high-resolution eruptive histories, the 14C dating method and other dating methods must be examined in conjunction with detailed stratigraphy.
