[Terrapreta] Long term durability of Low Temp Chars

[AJH]

On Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:19:17 -0600, Duane Pendergast wrote:

>I suspect that archeologists could develop some conclusions from layers
>built up over the centuries and carbon 14 content of remaining char. I think
>I've seen some papers along those lines but have no references right at
>hand. I also recall seeing some references that indicate the char can last a
>very long time - into the thousands of years.

Hi Duane

I'm sure carbon 14 dating can tell us some things, despite not really
knowing how this method copes with changes in solar activity or
atmospheric CO2 concentrations, but can it tell us whether the
surviving carbon in the terra preta soil started out as fixed carbon
in biochar or oxygenated hydrocarbons bound within a char matrix?

AJH