Posted by Erol Abit on June 23, 1999 at 13:48:10:
In Reply to: Re: Sources of error in Carbon-14 dating? posted by Craig Carriere on June 22, 1999 at 18:51:49:
Dear Craig,
It seems that the functional relation which is exponential is not purely emphirical or in other words, not fully experimental. I don't know but I
think it is based on theoretical considerations too. That means relation is valid for all time and can not be linear early in the history. Therefore, the equation is/was always sensitive to the errors in the inputs of equation for calculation the time. One of the input is the constant that appears in the equation. This is an experimental or emphirical constant, which may
change both in space and time.
After having read the calibration problem, I understand that the problem is in the determination of this constant. They are trying to calibrate this constant but I think they are having troubles because of large fluctuations
in time, especially after industrialization begun in last century. Anyways, this more or less random changes of C14 amounts in the environment and in a rug in time is probably being studied by experimentalists and mathematicans who are trying to determine an accurate constant.
You mentioned the change of C14 in time. But, I think, this constant is also highly dependent on the space. It may fluctuate in space too. If so,
this means that a C14 test can tell us a small area of a rug in consideration is 200 years old while telling that another small area in the same rug is 300 years old. By keeping that in our minds, lets forget about this for the moment and return the rug room.
I guessed before that the rugs, particularly old rugs, are not so homogeneous. I wonder their experiences of rug experts prove or disprove this. When looking at two different small areas of an old rug do they see big differences in
the ages? While a part of rug says that it is 200 years old, for example, another part in the same rug can give an age of 300 years old? Or, difference can not be so high according to their experiences?
Regards,
Erol