Christopher Bronk Ramsey Explained

Christopher Bronk Ramsey is a British physicist, mathematician and specialist in radiocarbon dating. He is a professor at the University of Oxford and was the Director of the Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art (RLAHA) from 2014 until 2019.^[1] He is a member of Merton College, Oxford and a Bodley Fellow.^{[2] [3]} His doctorate, completed in 1987, included the first successful implementation of carbon dioxide gas as a target for radiocarbon dating via accelerator mass spectrometry.^[4]

In the early 1990s, Bronk Ramsey became interested in the application of Bayesian statistics to the analysis of radiocarbon data. In 1994, he authored OxCal, an online radiocarbon calibration program.^[5] Bronk Ramsey has made significant contributions to various chronological issues, including the Minoan eruption of Thera, the British Neolithic, the dispersal of modern humans out of Africa and the Egyptian chronology.^{[6] [7] [8] [9]} His research interests also include the improvement of the radiocarbon calibration record. He is a member of the International Calibration (IntCal) group. His recent work has focused on improving the radiocarbon calibration record and synthesizing radiocarbon data with other chronometric information. In October 2012, Bronk Ramsey published the first wholly terrestrial radiocarbon calibration record extending back to the limit of the technique.^{[10] [11]}

Early life

Bronk Ramsey was born to English mother Sylvia and American biologist J. Ramsey Bronk and grew up in York with his brother Richard.^[12]

Selected publications

• Bronk Ramsey . C. . Staff . RA . Bryant . CL . Brock . F . Kitagawa . H . der Plicht . J . Schlolaut . G . Marshall . MH . Brauer . A . Lamb . H. F. . Payne . R. L. . Tarasov . P. E. . Haraguchi . T . Gotanda . K . Yonenobu . H . Yokoyama . Y . Tada . R . Nakagawa . T . 2012 . A Complete Terrestrial Radiocarbon Record for 11.2 to 52.8 kyr B.P . Science . 338 . 6105. 370–374 . 9 . 23087245 . 10.1126/science.1226660 . 2012Sci...338..370B . 10.1.1.420.1326 . 28554111 .
• Bronk Ramsey . C . Dee . MW . Rowland . JM . Higham . TFG . Harris . SA . Brock . F . Quiles . A . Wild . EM . Marcus . E. S. . Shortland . A. J. . 2010 . Radiocarbon-based Chronology for Dynastic Egypt . Science . 328 . 5985. 1554–1557 . 20558717 . 10.1126/science.1189395 . 2010Sci...328.1554R . 206526496 . etal.
• Bronk Ramsey . C. . 2009 . Bayesian analysis of radiocarbon dates . Radiocarbon . 51 . 1. 337–360 . 10.1017/S0033822200033865 . free . 2009Radcb..51..337B .
• Bronk Ramsey . C. . 2008 . Deposition models for chronological records . Quaternary Science Reviews . 27 . 1–2. 42–60 . 10.1016/j.quascirev.2007.01.019. 2008QSRv...27...42R . 10.1.1.516.3145 .
• Bayliss . A . Bronk Ramsey . C . der Plicht . J . Whittle . A. . 2007 . Bradshaw and Bayes: Towards a Timetable for the Neolithic, Cambridge . Archaeological Journal . 17 . 1. 1–28 . 10.1017/s0959774307000145. 162329707 .
• Gravina . B . Mellars . P . Bronk Ramsey . C. . 2005 . Radiocarbon Dating of Interstratified Neanderthal and Early Modern Human Occupations at the Chatelperronian Type-site . Nature . 438 . 7064. 51–56 . 10.1038/nature04006 . 16136079. 2005Natur.438...51G . 4335868 .
• Bronk Ramsey . C. . 1995 . Radiocarbon calibration and analysis of stratigraphy: The OxCal program . Radiocarbon . 37 . 2. 425–430 . 10.1017/S0033822200030903 . free . 1995Radcb..37..425B .

External links

• Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art
• OxCal Program
• Oxford Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit

Notes and References

1. Web site: Professor Christopher Bronk Ramsey . University of Oxford . 2023-03-27.
2. Web site: Emeritus, Visiting and Honorary Fellows at Merton College, Oxford . Merton College, Oxford . 2012-09-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130618061212/http://www.merton.ox.ac.uk/fellows_and_research/honorary.shtml#c . 2013-06-18 . dead .
3. Web site: Prof Christopher Ramsey . Merton College, Oxford . 2012-09-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121023100524/http://www.merton.ox.ac.uk/fellows_and_research/ramsey.shtml . 2012-10-23 . dead .
4. Web site: Accelerator mass spectrometry for radiocarbon dating: Advances in theory and practice . The British Library . 2012-09-26.
5. The Method of Combining Radiocarbon Dates and Other Information in Application to Study the Chronologies of Archaeological Sites . Adam Michczynski . Anna Pazdur . 41 . Geochronometria - Journal on Methods and Applications of Absolute Chronology . 22 . 2003 . 2012-09-26.
6. Manning SW, Ramsey CB, Kutschera W, Higham T, Kromer B, Steier P, etal . Chronology for the Aegean Late Bronze Age 1700-1400 B.C. . Science . 2006 . 312 . 5773 . 565–9 . 16645092 . 10.1126/science.1125682 . 2006Sci...312..565M . 21557268 .
7. Bayliss. Alex. Bronk Ramsey. Christopher. van der Plicht. Johannes. Whittle. Alasdair. Bradshaw and Bayes: Towards a Timetable for the Neolithic. Cambridge Archaeological Journal. 17. S1. 2007. 1. 0959-7743. 10.1017/S0959774307000145. 162329707.
8. Nature . Gravina B, Mellars P, Bronk Ramsey C . Radiocarbon Dating of Interstratified Neanderthal and Early Modern Human Occupations at the Chatelperronian Type-site. 2005 . 438 . 7064. 51–56. 10.1038/nature04006 . 16136079. 2005Natur.438...51G . 4335868 .
9. News: Pharaohs Are Given an Update . The New York Times . 21 June 2010 . Sindya N. . Bhanoo . 2012-09-26.
10. Web site: QSR: Most cited Articles.
11. Web site: New Scientist: Lake Bed.
12. Web site: Staff Spotlight: Professor Christopher Bronk Ramsey. University of Oxford. 21 April 2024.