Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

Comparison of stable isotope reference samples

Nature volume 302, pages 236–238 (1983)Cite this article

Abstract

Use of light stable isotope ratio measurements has proliferated in the past decade. The need for procuring additional stable isotope reference materials was recognized at an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) consultants' meeting convened in 19761. This group recommended acquisition of two carbonates, two carbon dioxide samples, a biotite, a sulphate, and other reference materials. We report here on the mass-spectrometric analysis of these and other reference samples in a single laboratory to minimize interlaboratory calibration errors. A result of this work is an improved equation for relating the PDB isotope scale (belemnite from the Peedee Formation of South Carolina adopted in the 1950s as a reference in palaeotemperature studies2) to the V-SMOW (Vienna-Standard Mean Ocean Water) scale1.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Learn more

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

  1. Gonfiantini, R. Nature 271, 534–536 (1978).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Craig, H. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 12, 133–149 (1957).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Epstein, S. & Mayeda, T. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 4, 213–224 (1953).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. McCrea, J. M. J. chem. Phys. 18, 849–857 (1950).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Stuermer, D. H., Peters, K. E. & Kaplan, I. R. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 42, 989–997 (1978).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Sofer, Z. Analyt. Chem. 52, 1389–1391 (1980).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Rafter, T. A. N. Z. J. Sci. 10, 493–510 (1967).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Mizutani, Y. Geochem. J. 6, 67–73 (1972).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Nehring, N. L., Bowen, P. A. & Truesdell, A. H. Geothermics 5, 63–66 (1977).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Clayton, R. N. & Mayeda, T. K. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 27, 43–52 (1963).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Coplen, T. & Kendall, C. Analyt. Chem. 54, 2611–2612 (1982).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Coplen, T. Int. J. Mass Spectrom. Ion Phys. 11, 37–40 (1973).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Mook, W. G. & Grootes, P. M. Int. J. Mass Spectrom. Ion Phys. 12, 273–298 (1973).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Friedman, I. & O'Neil, J. R. in U.S. geol. Surv. Prof. Pap. 440-KK (1977).

    Google Scholar 

  15. Sharma, T. & Clayton, R. N. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 29, 1347–1353 (1965).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. O'Neil, J. R. & Epstein, S. J. geophys. Res. 71, 4955–4961 (1966).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Ito, E. & Clayton, R. N. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 47 (in the press).

  18. Craig, H. Science 133, 1833–1834 (1961).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Blattner, P. & Hulston, J. R. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 42, 59–62 (1978).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Coplen, T., Kendall, C. & Barnes, I. L. Geostandards Newslett. 6, 257–258 (1982).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Mook, W. G. Palaeogeogr., Palaeoclimatol., Palaeocol. 9, 245–263 (1971).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Letolle, R. Bull. Soc. fr. Minér. Cristallogr. 94, 449–450 (1971).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Friedman, I., O'Neil, J. & Cebula, G. Geostandards Newslett. 6, 11–12 (1982).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. US Geological Survey, 432 National Center, Reston, Virginia, 22092, USA

    Tyler B. Coplen, Carol Kendall & Jessica Hopple

Authors
  1. Tyler B. Coplen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Carol Kendall
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jessica Hopple
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Coplen, T., Kendall, C. & Hopple, J. Comparison of stable isotope reference samples. Nature 302, 236–238 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1038/302236a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/302236a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing