Numerical dating is a series of techniques used to determine the age of a given specimen of historical significance. Absolute dating and relative dating are examples of numerical dating techniques. Absolute dating tends to give objects the exact age in years while relative dating reveals the sequence of events as they occurred. That is, relative dating tells you which object is older than the other but not its specific age in years. Therefore, absolute dating is considered more definitive and accurate than relative dating. Most numerical dating techniques rely on radioactive decay for dating. To date a tree log is buried in a Holocene flood, a suitable method to apply would be dendrochronology. This technique works by counting the number of growth rings in the trunk of a tree. It depends on the fact that new rings grow every year. The size and shape of the rings also reflect the climate at the time the tree log was living. Other numerical methods that can be used include radioactive dating as well as trapped electronic dating (Ismail-Zadeh et al., 2016).On the other hand, Potassium argon dating can be used in determining the age of a Permian felsic volcanic unit. The method entails heating volcanic rocks to very hot temperatures to release any argon gas contained in the rock. As they cool, the argon recollects and accumulates. The resulting mass gives the decay rate thus the half-life. This method is also known as 226Ra or 230Th Disequilibria. application of the U series can also be used as an alternative method. This method is mostly used to find the age of volcanic rocks before the eruption of the volcano. It relies on crystallization rates of magic to silicic rates. Other methods that may be used include Analytical methods such as mass spectrometry and Isotonic dating methods (Buckley et al., 2014).
References
Buckley, Y. M., Feeley, H. B., Giller, P., Montgomery, I., " Quinn, J. L. BES (2014) Virtual Issue: Ecology and Evolution in Ireland.
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Ismail-Zadeh, A., Korotkii, A., & Tsepelev, I. (2016). Data-driven numerical modelling in geodynamics: Methods and applications .
