Frontiers of Carbonate Clumped Isotope Thermometry

Carbonate minerals contain stable isotopes of carbon and oxygen with different masses whose abundances bond arrangement are governed by thermodynamics. The clumped isotopic value Δ i is a measure the temperature-dependent preference heavy C O to clump, or near each other, rather than light in carbonate phase. isotope thermometry uses values measured mass spectrometry (Δ 47 , 48 ) laser spectroscopy 638 reconstruct mineral growth temperature surface subsurface environments independent parent water composition. Two decades analytical theoretical development have produced mature proxy that can estimate formation temperatures from 0.5 1,100°C, up 1–2°C external precision (2 standard error mean). Alteration primary environmental fluid-mediated solid-state reactions and/or reflect nonequilibrium fractionations reveal diagenetic history mineralization processes. has contributed significantly geological biological sciences, it poised advance understanding Earth's climate system, crustal processes, minerals. ▪ Clumped record robust fluid compositions ancient Earth environments. Mature methods enable measurements address diverse questions sciences. These marine terrestrial paleoenvironment paleoclimate, tectonics, deformation, hydrothermal, studies.