In situ δ13C analysis of <1mm thick annual growth rings in archaeological wood samples via LA IRMS

Archaeological wood holds value not only as a source of information on how people used to live centuries or millennia ago, it is also a valuable proxy for reconstructing past climatic and environmental changes. When the sample amount available for destructive analytical methods is limited it forces the research team to judiciously prioritize what information to extract and which method to use. When it comes to light stable isotope analyses, the most widely used instrumentation requires rather intensive manual sample preparation and the prepared sample cannot be recuperated after analyses.The elemental analyzer is currently the go-to sample introduction peripheral for stable isotope analyses of tree rings, but as any analytical method it has its draw-backs and limitations. A key limitation is that each growth ring must be individually separated mechanically and prepared for analysis; this challenge can be managed with sufficient time and manpower. However, very narrow growth rings (