On assessing the age of deep oceanic water by carbon-14

Abstract

The rate of circulation and age of the deep water of the oceans is of much interest. Worthington (1955) has suggested an age of 100–160 years for northern North Atlantic water which has reached the Carribean and Cayman Seas. I (in part. Cooper, 1955, 1956) have suspected that the rate of circulation of much of the North Atlantic deep water may be even faster than Worthington's results suggest. Provisional direct observations by G. Wüst & G. Dietrich (private communication) also suggest that the deep circulation is quite rapid.