Radiocarbon dating with cosmic radiation events: problems and unexplored possibilities

This article investigates the potential of Miyake events-short-term spikes in radiocarbon production caused by cosmic radiation-for achieving single-year precision in archaeological dating. Building on recent sub-annual measurements of tree rings, we examine the implications of seasonality, calibration curve smoothing and regional variation. We highlight the challenges posed by these events for dating short-lived samples, as well as their potential to anchor complex stratigraphical sequences, even in the absence of preserved wood. The findings underscore the need for annual-resolution calibration datasets and broader dissemination of Miyake events, as well as Miyake dating techniques, across archaeological disciplines. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue 'Radiocarbon and cosmic radiation events'.