Interdisciplinary Analyses of Bronze Age Communities from Western Hungary Reveal Complex Population Histories.

In this study, we report 21 ancient shotgun genomes from present-day Western Hungary, from previously understudied Late Copper Age Baden, and Bronze Age Somogyvár-Vinkovci, Kisapostag, and Encrusted Pottery archeological cultures (3,530-1,620 cal Bce). Our results indicate the presence of high steppe ancestry in the Somogyvár-Vinkovci culture. They were then replaced by the Kisapostag group, who exhibit an outstandingly high (up to ∼47%) Mesolithic hunter-gatherer ancestry, despite this component being thought to be highly diluted by the time of the Early Bronze Age. The Kisapostag population contributed the genetic basis for the succeeding community of the Encrusted Pottery culture. We also found an elevated hunter-gatherer component in a local Baden culture-associated individual, but no connections were proven to the Bronze Age individuals. The hunter-gatherer ancestry in Kisapostag is likely derived from two main sources, one from a Funnelbeaker or Globular Amphora culture-related population and one from a previously unrecognized source in Eastern Europe. We show that this ancestry not only appeared in various groups in Bronze Age Central Europe but also made contributions to Baltic populations. The social structure of Kisapostag and Encrusted Pottery cultures is patrilocal, similarly to most contemporaneous groups. Furthermore, we developed new methods and method standards for computational analyses of ancient DNA, implemented to our newly developed and freely available bioinformatic package. By analyzing clinical traits, we found carriers of aneuploidy and inheritable genetic diseases. Finally, based on genetic and anthropological data, we present here the first female facial reconstruction from the Bronze Age Carpathian Basin.

REFINING RADIOCARBON DATING OF IVORY.

Elephants are on the verge of extinction due to extensive poaching to obtain ivory and illegal income. According to international law, the trade in ivory of African elephants is outlawed, with a few exceptions, as for example in European Union for antique ivory obtained before 1947. There is basically only one physical method for determining the age of ivory and that is radiocarbon dating. The method uses artificially temporarily enhanced 14C content in the atmosphere to date relevant samples with high resolution. Since this advantage is slowly fading, the question arises of how to fill in the loss of the resolution. One possibility is exploiting the chronology of ivory. This work studies a whole elephant tusk and uses radiocarbon dating of samples obtained longitudinally and transversely from along the tusk to analyse the growth rate.

MODELLING GLOBAL CARBON AND RADIOCARBON CYCLES.

Carbon cycle receives growing attention, in particular in connection with the climate change. Radiocarbon (14C) serves not only as the well-known basis of a dating technique but also as a tracer of the global carbon cycle, enabling one to assess the sizes of diverse compartments, fluxes between them and the related characteristic times. Mathematical modelling of the carbon cycle helps integrate the measurements, estimate the roles of underpinning processes and provide predictions, for instance on future CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere for various emission scenarios. We present a model based on a single-box atmosphere, ocean surface layer, one-dimensional diffusive ocean and two-box biota. We discuss its validation against measured data, predictions on future CO2 levels and interpretation of past events on the radiocarbon calibration curve.

The potential of radiocarbon analysis for the detection of art forgeries.

Art objects form an essential part of cultural heritage and are appreciated for their artistic values. However, the observed investment in art and capacity for high monetary returns encourages counterfeiting of art objects. The art market's lack of transparency and traditional confidential protocols amplifies the problem. Radiocarbon analysis provides a tool to detect anachronistic materials. Measurement of bomb peak radiocarbon, which was observed in the atmosphere during the last 70 years, can provide clear evidence of post-1950 material. Here we briefly introduce the method and discuss its application in detecting forgeries. Three accelerator mass spectrometry AMS laboratories performed a 14C dating inter-comparison study on the material used in art. Results obtained on modern cotton paper, two antique sheets of paper, one parchment, and one textile demonstrate the radiocarbon dating capacity to date the material accurately. The excellent agreement between laboratories is crucial for the broader application of this scientific tool in forensic studies and court cases.

Rape, sunflower and forest honeys for long-term environmental monitoring: Presence of indicator elements and non-photosynthetic carbon in old Hungarian samples.

In this paper, we present the time-dependent elemental composition and AMS radiocarbon dating results of 36 rape, sunflower and forest honey samples, collected between 1985 and 2018 in geographically close locations. Based on the elemental information, we conclude that bee products regardless the type provide useful environmental information of the previous decades, such as the decreasing trend of airborne Pb emission can be traced. However, radiocarbon results agree less with the atmospheric bomb peak. Random offsets were observed in the specific radiocarbon activity of the honey samples indicating that rape, sunflower and forest honey samples are not as reliable materials for radiocarbon dating as acacia honeys. The radiocarbon results show that the rape, sunflower and forest honey samples can contain non-photosynthetic carbon, presumably derived from the soil. Thus, the complex application of honey samples for environmental reconstruction requires the species-separated investigation of bee products to reveal their adaptability for assessment approaches.

Human mobility in a Bronze Age Vatya 'urnfield' and the life history of a high-status woman.

In this study, we present osteological and strontium isotope data of 29 individuals (26 cremations and 3 inhumations) from Szigetszentmiklós-Ürgehegy, one of the largest Middle Bronze Age cemeteries in Hungary. The site is located in the northern part of the Csepel Island (a few kilometres south of Budapest) and was in use between c. 2150 and 1500 BC, a period that saw the rise, the apogee, and, ultimately, the collapse of the Vatya culture in the plains of Central Hungary. The main aim of our study was to identify variation in mobility patterns among individuals of different sex/age/social status and among individuals treated with different burial rites using strontium isotope analysis. Changes in funerary rituals in Hungary have traditionally been associated with the crises of the tell cultures and the introgression of newcomers from the area of the Tumulus Culture in Central Europe around 1500 BC. Our results show only slight discrepancies between inhumations and cremations, as well as differences between adult males and females. The case of the richly furnished grave n. 241 is of particular interest. The urn contains the cremated bones of an adult woman and two 7 to 8-month-old foetuses, as well as remarkably prestigious goods. Using 87Sr/86Sr analysis of different dental and skeletal remains, which form in different life stages, we were able to reconstruct the potential movements of this high-status woman over almost her entire lifetime, from birth to her final days. Our study confirms the informative potential of strontium isotopes analyses performed on different cremated tissues. From a more general, historical perspective, our results reinforce the idea that exogamic practices were common in Bronze Age Central Europe and that kinship ties among high-rank individuals were probably functional in establishing or strengthening interconnections, alliances, and economic partnerships.

Radiocarbon in the atmospheric gases and PM10 aerosol around the Paks Nuclear Power Plant, Hungary.

Our study shows a one-year-long, monthly integrated continuous monitoring campaign of gaseous radiocarbon emission and ambient air compared with 4 event-like, weekly (168 h) atmospheric aerosol radiocarbon data in every season of 2019, at 4 locations (n = 16 aerosol sample) around the Paks Nuclear Power Plant, Hungary. The study shows the first aerosol radiocarbon results around a nuclear power plant measured by accelerator mass spectrometry in Hungary. There was no dominant contribution detected in the atmospheric CO2 gas fraction, but we could detect excess radiocarbon in the total gaseous carbon fraction at almost every sampling point around the Paks Nuclear Power Plant. The highest Δ14C value in the total gaseous carbon form was 157.9 ± 4.6‰ in November and the highest Δ 14C value in the CO2 fraction was 86.1 ± 4.0‰ in December during 2019. Observed 14C activity excess is not higher than previously published values around the Paks Nuclear Power plant at the same sampling points (Molnár et al., 2007; Varga et al., 2020). Our aerosol radiocarbon measurements show that there is no significant contribution from the nuclear power plant to the atmospheric PM10 fraction. We could not detect a Δ 14C value higher than 0‰ in any season. The results show that the simple aerosol sampling, without pre-treatment of the filters, is appropriate for the measurement of excess radiocarbon at the vicinity of nuclear power plants. The applied preparation and measurement method can be applicable for detection of hot (14C) particles and early identification of radiocarbon emission from nuclear power plants in the PM10 fraction.

Honey as an indicator of long-term environmental changes: MP-AES analysis coupled with 14C-based age determination of Hungarian honey samples.

Several studies show that the elemental content of honey entirely depends on the botanical and geographical origin, but the information is incomplete regarding its time-dependent composition changes. Twenty-six acacia and three honey samples with unknown botanical origin were collected between 1958 and 2018 and analysed for elemental composition by Microwave Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry (MP-AES). The elemental analysis was coupled with independent dating method by Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) to confirm the calendar age of the honey samples and test the possibility of radiocarbon based dating of bee products, which has not been applied before. According to the analytical measurements and statistical analysis, we can conclude that the elemental composition shows change with time in the acacia honey during the last five decades. We have proven that honey preserves carbon isotopic and elemental information of its production time and thus can be applied as an environmental indicator (e.g. trace urban pollutants, precipitation, local industrial or agricultural emission) in reconstruction studies by analysing the non-degradable mineral content. Our results further show that acacia honey is a suitable material for radiocarbon dating, proved by the results compared to the atmospheric radiocarbon bomb-peak. The new approach presented for investigation of honey by radiocarbon-based age determination coupled with elemental analysis can be used in biological, dietary, archaeological or other multidisciplinary studies as well. Some samples show slightly depleted radiocarbon content. This could be an indication of local fossil CO2 emission. Based on these depleted 14C results, honey could be used for atmospheric monitoring of fossil CO2 urban or industrial hot-spots.

Radiocarbon in tree rings from a clean air region in Slovakia.

In order to study radiocarbon levels at a clean air location in Slovakia with no significant local anthropogenic effects, we took tree ring samples from a tree in the vicinity of Jasná recreational area in the Low Tatras region in the central part of Slovakia. There are no significant local fossil fuel emission sources, so these samples represent a regional clean air background important for 14C studies in Slovakia and Central Europe. The growth rings from the sampled tree (European spruce, Picea abies) cover the period from 1911 to 2016. The first part of the data (1911-1952) represents natural radiocarbon levels influenced by Suess effect. The following period exhibits an increase in radiocarbon levels due to atmospheric nuclear weapons tests (Δ14C maximum of 850‰ in 1964), and then a gradual decrease characterized by an exponential trend with time constant of 14.3 ± 0.5 years. The Δ14C data from Jasná was used as a reference for comparison with two previously reported modern tree ring data sets from Slovakia. This comparison showed that radiocarbon levels at both locations are lower than clean air reference values, indicating the influence of local fossil fuel emissions.

Temporal changes in tritium and radiocarbon concentrations in the western North Pacific Ocean (1993-2012).

The western North Pacific is one of the most studied oceanic basins due to its diverse structure and important role in connection with the adjacent reservoirs. Tritium (3H) and radiocarbon (14C) have been frequently exploited as oceanographic tracers due to their suitable properties; several extensive observation projects, such as GEOSECS, WOCE and WOMARS, used these two radionuclides to investigate different oceanographic processes, pathways, ocean currents and time scales of deep and bottom water formation. Here we evaluate temporal changes in 3H and 14C levels in seawater of the western North Pacific Ocean from 1993 to 2012. When compared to the background levels from 1993, the data from 2012 suggests significant impact of the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident on surface and vertical 3H seawater profiles, increasing its water column inventories in the southern part of the 149°E meridian by a factor of 2-7. On the other hand, 14C content in surface seawater has been steadily decreasing from 1993, with the accelerated rate from 2005, probably due to downwelling of bomb-produced radiocarbon and its transport along isopycnal layers. The influence of the Oyashio current on 14C levels in the northern part of the investigated transect and formation of its intrusion was also clearly visible in the collected datasets. Regarding bomb-produced radiocarbon, its water column inventories decreased or remained same from 2005 to 2012 at all stations, except the ones located in the coastal areas of the New Guinea island (3.5°S).

Advanced atmospheric 14C monitoring around the Paks Nuclear Power Plant, Hungary.

Atmospheric air samples were collected at 9 monitoring stations (A1 to A9) less than 2 km from the Paks Nuclear Power Plant (Paks NPP) and a background station (B24). The monthly integrated CO2 and total carbon (CO2+hydrocarbons (CnHm)) samples were collected to determine the excess 14C activity at the vicinity of the NPP. The measurements providing the 14C/12C ratio of the monthly integrated samples were carried out on a MICADAS type AMS at HEKAL. Due to the relatively low 14CO2 emission of PWR type Paks reactors and the local Suess effect, there was negligible excess 14C activity at the investigated stations in the pure CO2 fraction during the investigated 2 years period (2015-2016). On the contrary, there was a detectable (although minor) excess at every station in the CnHm fraction. In case of CO2, the average Δ14C excess was 3.8‰ and the highest measured value was 91.2‰ at the A3 station in February 2015. In case of CnHm, the average excess was 31.1‰ and the highest measured value was 319.1‰ at the A4 station in February 2016. We applied PC-CREAM 08 modelling to investigate the observed excess 14C activity at the environmental sampling stations, which depends on the distance from the NPP and the meteorological conditions, such as wind direction and wind speed. Meteorology data was collected at the operating area of the Paks NPP in a meteorology tower. The direct C-14 emission through the 120 m high stacks was measured in the NPP by liquid scintillation counting. These emission data and our model calculations explain the excess activity in the CnHm fraction at the A4 station, which is located only 915 m far from the NPP's stacks in the prevailing wind direction. The excess activity at A3 station (the farthest unit) probably came from the nearby NPP wastewater discharge point. The recently observed average excess and highest excess data is similar to the published data in former studies (Molnár et al., 2007; Veres et al., 1995) on Paks NPP, the highest 14CO2 and 14CnHm excess are just a little higher than it was in the earlier studies, but in these former studies, the A3 station was not equipped with a radiocarbon monitoring unit and the level of radiocarbon emission was almost invisible from the wastewater discharge point.

Tritium and radiocarbon in the western North Pacific waters: post-Fukushima situation.

Impact of the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP1) accident on tritium (3H) and radiocarbon (14C) levels in the water column of the western North Pacific Ocean in winter 2012 is evaluated and compared with radiocesium (134,137Cs) data collected for the same region. Tritium concentrations in surface seawater, varying between 0.4 and 2.0 TU (47.2-236 Bq m-3), follow the Fukushima radiocesium trend, however, some differences in the vertical profiles were observed, namely in depths of 50-400 m. No correlation was visible in the case of 14C, whose surface Δ14C levels raised from negative values (about -40‰) in the northern part of transect, to positive values (∼68‰) near the equator. Homogenously mixed 14C levels in the subsurface layers were observed at all stations. Sixteen surface (from 30 in total) and 6 water profile (from 7) stations were affected by the Fukushima tritium. Surface and vertical profile data together with the calculated water column inventories indicate that the total amount of the FNPP1-derived tritium deposited to the western North Pacific Ocean was 0.7 ±â€¯0.3 PBq. No clear impact of the Fukushima accident on 14C levels in the western North Pacific was observed.

Coupled European and Greenland last glacial dust activity driven by North Atlantic climate.

Centennial-scale mineral dust peaks in last glacial Greenland ice cores match the timing of lowest Greenland temperatures, yet little is known of equivalent changes in dust-emitting regions, limiting our understanding of dust-climate interaction. Here, we present the most detailed and precise age model for European loess dust deposits to date, based on 125 accelerator mass spectrometry 14C ages from Dunaszekcso, Hungary. The record shows that variations in glacial dust deposition variability on centennial-millennial timescales in east central Europe and Greenland were synchronous within uncertainty. We suggest that precipitation and atmospheric circulation changes were likely the major influences on European glacial dust activity and propose that European dust emissions were modulated by dominant phases of the North Atlantic Oscillation, which had a major influence on vegetation and local climate of European dust source regions.

Mapping of tritium emissions using absorption vapour samplers.

Püspökszilágy Radioactive Waste Treatment and Disposal Facility (RWTDF) is a typical near-surface engineered repository designated to store low- and intermediate-level wastes from various institutes, research facilities and hospitals in Hungary. Two automatic combined (14)C-tritium sampling units installed at the facility sample the air 2 m above surface. The one installed near the vaults detects tritium (T) activities two orders of magnitude higher than the far reference sampling unit. To localize the T emissions, 19 small absorption vapour samplers filled with silica gel were settled onto the ground surface. After the saturation of the silica gel, the water was recovered and its T concentration was measured with a low-background liquid scintillation counter. The absorption vapour samplers are cheap, simple and easy-to-use. We present the samplers and the T distribution map constructed from the data, which helps to localize the T emission.