Introduction to Water Dating
GNS Science can provide a number of complementary tracer methods to date water samples. The age ranges for the different methods available are shown in the figure on the right.
Tracers for water age dating
GNS Science routinely uses four complementary tracer methods to age date water samples.
- Tritium is suitable for dating waters less than 80 years old.
- CFCs are suitable for dating waters less than 60 years.
- SF6 is most suitable for waters less than 30 years old.
- 32Si is suitable for dating water 50-1000 years old.
Water sources including rainwater, oceans, lakes, streams, sediments, and glacial ice pick up these tracers through contact with the atmosphere. The amount of tracer in the water depends on the atmospheric concentration at the time of contact (see figure below).
