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Further Developments in On-Line Computing and Radiocarbon Dating At the British Museum

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 July 2016

A D Hewson
Affiliation:
Research Laboratory, The British Museum, London WC1B 3DG
J A Hall
Affiliation:
Research Laboratory, The British Museum, London WC1B 3DG
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Abstract

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In November 1973 the British Museum Research Laboratory acquired a Hewlett Packard 2100A mini-computer for the storage, calculation and retrieval of scientific measurements made on museum objects. A part of the computer's work is the calculation of radiocarbon dates based on the liquid scintillation counting of 14C activities. A system of programs and files has been developed and has been in daily use since August 1974 (Hall and Hewson, 1977).

This paper describes changes and improvements to the system to make it more flexible so that it now provides the full range of facilities required by an active 14C laboratory. The reporting procedures in particular have been restructured in the light of experience. The paper will be of interest to all laboratories that have, or hope to have, access to similar mini- or micro-computers.

Type
Techniques
Copyright
Copyright © The American Journal of Science 

References

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