Radiocarbon measurements on coexisting benthic and planktic foraminifera shells: potential for reconstructing ocean ventilation times over the past 20 000 years

In this paper the potential of AMS 14C dating of shells handpicked from deep sea sediments is explored. We show that while the age difference between planktonic (surface dwelling) and benthic (bottom dwelling) shells must carry information regarding paleocirculation rates, this message is likely obscured by effects associated with the coupling between bioturbation and dissolution and between bioturbation and abundance change. It is also possible that the 14C/12C ratio in planktonic shells was initially not identical to that in surface water and that the 14C/12C ratio in benthic shells was initially not identical to that in bottom water. These and other biases will plague all attempts to extract the desired information regarding circulation rate changes over the last 20000 years. However in sorting them out, much will be learned about the origin and history of the calcite particles found in deep sea sediments