Some Problems and Implications of ¹⁴C Dates from a Podzol Buried Beneath an end Moraine at Haugabreen, Southern Norway

ABSTRACT

Eight ¹⁴C dates have been obtained from a 5 cm thick A_h, horizon of a podzol soil buried in situ beneath the outermost end moraine of the Haugabreen gletschervorfeld, southern Norway. The dates ranged from 880±35 to 3140±55 “C years B.P.; a strong increase in age with depth was indicated; various fractions of soil organic matter were found to differ significantly in age. Ten problems in the interpretation of these results were considered. Date of burial of the palaeopodzol was discussed using multiple working hypotheses, assuming different forms of age/depth relationship and the presence or absence of contamination. Burial during the “Little Ice Age” is most likely, although a conservative maximum estimate of time elapsed since burial is given as 1400 ¹⁴C years. The recognition of numerous and precisely dated pre- “Little Ice Age” Neoglacial glacier maxima on the basis of ¹⁴C dates from well-developed palaeosols is criticized. Apparent mean residence times within such soils are likely to increase steeply with depth and may be of the order of 1000 years within the top 2.5 cm. Some other pedological implications are outlined; it is inferred that at least 3000 years were required for formation of this soil horizon.