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Title: Modeling the Measurement: Δ 47 , Corrections, and Absolute Ratios for Reference Materials
Abstract

Clumped isotope studies on CO2, Δ47, that is the excess in the isotopologue containing both13C and18O at mass 47, can be very useful since they can give temperature estimates independent of the bulk isotopic composition. The measurement itself can be affected by a number of items. Here we develop a data processing model to examine the effects different interferences might have on the final calculated value. It incorporates known issues, for example, pressure baseline,17O excess, and shifts in absolute ratios for primary reference materials and parameters used for17O correction. We also included linearity effects as well as differences in isotopologue absolute abundances at a givenm/z. What normally would be considered acceptable mass spectrometer45Rand46Rlinearity can skew Δ47results. That is 0.04‰/V and −0.04‰/V linearity on45Rand46Rrespectively would also cause an apparent shift in the parameters used for17O corrections. Measurements were made on CO2(g) equilibrated with water, and we were able to match up the effects seen with model results. Linearity and small differences in amplitude between sample and working reference gas affected Δ47determination, as did apparent shifts in isotopologue abundances under different conditions. This may (partially) account for discrepancies seen in Δ47‐temperature calibrations curves between laboratories. We also developed an easy way to precisely calculate the δ13C and δ18O that works well in spreadsheets without the need for multiple iterations.

 
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NSF-PAR ID:
10367879
Author(s) / Creator(s):
 ;  
Publisher / Repository:
DOI PREFIX: 10.1029
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems
Volume:
20
Issue:
7
ISSN:
1525-2027
Page Range / eLocation ID:
p. 3569-3587
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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