Stable Isotopes of Geological Interest
Oxygen Isotopes
Oxygen Isotope Variations
Fractionation of Oxygen Isotopes
Measurement of Oxygen Isotopes Analysis of oxygen isotopes in silicates and oxides usually involves the liberation of oxygen through fluorination with ClF 3 or BrF 5 followed by reduction of the oxygen gas to CO 2 at high- temperatures for measurement in a mass spectrometer. This method was first developed by Clayton and Mayeda (1963) using BrF 5 and modified by Borthwick and Harmon (1982) for use with ClF 3. This can be done using a conventional silicate line using Ni- reaction vessels, a laser line both of which need a fluorination agent or an ion-probe which doesn’t. Analysis is normally done on a dual-inlet gas source mass spectrometer.
Mass Spectrometry
Measurement of Oxygen Isotopes Low reaction yields can lead to fractionation of the oxygen isotopes and is a serious problem for analysis of refractory minerals such as olivine and garnet. In addition, conventional analysis on a silicate extraction line is not capable of analysing small samples in-situ and means that natural sample heterogeneity cannot be detected. These problems have to some extent been overcome with the development of laser-fluorination lines first described by Sharp (1990) More recently, the ion-probe has been used to determin oxygen isotope ratios at the sub-grain scale in zircons and other refractory minerals and has been pivotal in furthering our understanding of the development of the early Earth atmosphere.
Measurement of Oxygen Isotopes
Hydrogen Isotopes
Hydrogen Isotope Variations
Fractionation of Hydrogen Isotopes
Measurement of Hydrogen Isotopes
Carbon Isotopes
Carbon Isotope Variation
Carbon Isotope Fractionation
Measurement of Carbon Isotopes
Stable Isotope Standards
Sulphur Isotopes
Sulphur Isotope Variations
Sulphur Isotope Fractionation
Measurement of Sulphur Isotopes
Nitrogen Isotopes
Nitrogen Isotope Variations
Nitrogen Isotope Fractionation
Measurement of Nitrogen Isotopes