Accelerator mass spectrometry and its applications in geochronology

Owing to its ultra-high sensitivity and exceptional isotopic resolution, accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) has become the method of choice for measuring rare isotopes in minute samples. Since the advent of tandem accelerator mass spectrometry in the 1970s, significant advancements have been made in both the technique and its applications. This paper presents a systematic review of the development history of AMS, elucidates the emergence of 14C dating technology in the 1940s and its pivotal role in driving the research and development of the technique, and classifies the characteristics of various types of AMS while summarizing their distribution across China. It outlines the core components of an AMS system and their operational principles, with particular emphasis on the mechanisms by which each component enhances the suppression of isobaric, isotopic, and molecular interferences. Furthermore, the paper reviews key applications of AMS in Earth sciences and provides a detailed examination of the methodologies underlying 14C chronology, exposure age dating, and burial age dating.