14C Age of Glaciation in Estrecho de Magallanes–Bahía Inútil, Chile

Abstract

Basal 14C dates from a core of the mire at Puerto del Hambre (53 degrees 36'21"S, 70 degrees 55'53"W), located within the area of glaciation in Estrecho de Magallanes-Bahia Inutil, Chile, are no older than 14,455 +/115 yr BP. The 14C dates are on samples from which screening isolated autochthonous plant remains. Previous 14C dates of 15,800 +/200, 16,590 +/320, and 16,290 +/140 yr BP are from bulk samples collected from similar basal increments at the site during 3 separate, independent coring operations. The previous suite of 14C dates was suspected to be contaminated by older carbon in the light of chronological evidence, which indicates a 14C age of approximately 14,850 yr BP for glaciation elsewhere in southern Chile. Contamination by "infinitely old" carbon reworked from nearby Tertiary beds and redeposited at Puerto del Hambre is evidently the cause for the older 14C dates.