Tata Institute Radiocarbon Date List IV

Abstract

All measurements reported in the previous date lists (Kusumgar et al., 1963a; Agrawal et al., 1964 and 1965a) were based on acetylene counting. Since September 1964 we have changed over to methane counting and all dates presented here are based on this method. Methane counting offers certain advantages over acetylene, e.g., (1) rapid synthesis, (2) the non-explosive nature of gas, (3) the synthesized gas is radon-free. The disadvantage of having only one atom per molecule in methane (CH4), as against two in acetylene (C2H2), is compensated by the fact that methane can be counted at higher pressures with relatively low operating voltages.