Not sure how important this might be but Tall Bloke thinks he is on to something – see http://tallbloke.wordpress.com/2013/08/25/rog-tallbloke-carbon14-and-sol… … an interesting post even if it is not unusual for Wikepedia to have it wrong. It involves C14 in the atmosphere and the record of its highs and lows – but strangely doesn't mention the plateaus and injections (as a specific feature of importance). It was provoked by a Wikipedia graph (reproduced) that is claimed to be an indicator of solar activity. Problem is, the Maunder Minimum is not where it should be – it is 60 or so years out of kilter. Tall Bloke turned the graph upside down and this seemed to fit the historical placement of the Minimum. How reliable is the rest of the graph?
The highs in the graph coincide with the Medieval Warm Period and the Modern Maximum (a new designation) – a link is provided to the Wikipedia entry (one click away). Tall Bloke compared the carbon 14 cycle with Tim Channon's solar activity model but it doesn't fit. He discusses the various influences on C14 levels, from cosmic rays, the solar wind, geomagnetic activity, and even co2. He concludes that the longer track of C14 doesn't actually tell us much about the solar-climate relationship. Stephen Wilde commented by saying there has been less ozone at the Poles when the Sun has been active and more ozone when it has been less active (as now), another indication of why ozone depletion comes and goes.