Course Description
Students will be introduced to the core concepts underlying isotopic studies in environmental sciences, including isotope ratios, delta notation, isotopic fractionation, mass-dependent and mass-independent fractionation, and radioactive decay. They will gain an understanding of natural isotope abundances and the key physical and chemical processes that drive isotopic fractionation in environmental systems.
The course will provide foundational knowledge of isotope-ratio measurement techniques, with an emphasis on spectroscopy and mass spectrometry, as well as the practical challenges related to precision, accuracy, calibration, and data interpretation. Students will work with fundamental quantitative models such as Rayleigh fractionation and radioactive decay equations.
Building on these concepts, students will explore major applications of isotope biogeoscience, including the water cycle, the carbon cycle and atmospheric methane, the nitrogen cycle, and volcanic sulfate formation. Throughout the course, theoretical concepts and mathematical tools will be integrated with real research examples to give students a comprehensive perspective on the methods, questions, and scientific advances within isotope biogeoscience.
