What is Stable Isotope Geochemistry?

Syllabus

Course schedule and reading assignments (Fall, 2010*)

Reading and bibliography (previous class; Fall, 2010*)

Term Paper Instructions

Stable Isotope Laboratory

Course Outline and Slides (previous class, Fall, 2010) *

• Introduction to stable isotopes
• Characteristics of isotopes (Slides )

• Historical background (see Mass Spectrometry slides)
  

• Stable isotope methods (Slides )
  

• Conventions, notations, and standards (Slides )
  

• Theoretical basis of isotopic fractionation (Slides)

• Kinetic fractionation
• Equilibrium fractionation

• Oxygen (¹⁸O/¹⁶O) and hydrogen (²H/ ¹H) isotopes

• Introduction  
• Distribution of oxygen and hydrogen isotopes in nature (Slides)
• Fractionation relations (Figure)
• O, H, and He isotopes as tracers in natural waters
• Applications in igneous and metamorphic petrology  (Igneous Slides , Metamorphic Slides)  

• Sediments (Slides )  
• Isotope paleotemperatures, isotope stratigraphy, and paleoclimates
• • Neogene (Slides )
  • Cenozoic (Slides )
  • Mesozoic and Paleozoic (Slides)

•   Carbon isotopes (¹³C/¹²C)
  • Introduction  (Slides )
    • Carbon cycle and geochemistry
    • ¹³C/¹²C variations in nature (Figure)
    • Fractionation relations
  • Organic matter, natural gas, and petroleum
  • Natural waters
    • Seawater (Slides )
    • Groundwaters (Slides )
      
  • Sedimentary carbonates
    
    • Global carbon cycle and global change
    • Carbonate diagenesis
    • Carbon isotope stratigraphy (Slides)
       
• Nitrogen isotopes (¹⁵N/¹⁴N) (Slides 1)
  • Nitrogen cycle and geochemistry
  • Organic matter; food webs
  • Groundwaters  

• Sulfur isotopes (³⁴S/³²S)

• Sulfur cycle and geochemistry  (Slides )
  
• ³⁴S/³²S variations in nature; fractionation relations
• Sulfur cycling in groundwaters and pore waters
• Sulfur isotopic evolution of seawater and atmospheric O₂