Stable Isotope Lab

SIL 2012 Annual Report

The Stable Isotope Lab (ENRI-SIL) is a state-of-the-art analytical facility that uses stable isotope analysis (δD, δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N, δ¹⁸O, δ³⁴S) to understand biological, hydrologic, climatic and atmospheric processes on short and long time scales. Portions of our research focus on: a) marine-terrestrial nutrient linkages using δ¹⁵N, and δ³⁴S, b) leaf and plant-level carbon (δ¹³C), water (δD and δ¹⁸O) and nutrient relations in response to natural gradients and climate change experiments, and c) metabolic processes of small arctic mammals. The laboratory is leading the isotopic analysis of precipitation samples collected each Tuesday across the entire US as a part of the US Network for Isotopes in Precipitation (USNIP)

The lab utilizes two ThermoFinnigan Continuous Flow Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometers (Delta Plus XP and Delta Advantage V) with four gas preparation systems for the measurement of the stable isotopes of hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur (δD, δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N, δ¹⁸O and δ³⁴S) on a diversity of natural samples (plant, animal, soil, sediment, water, and atmospheric gas). We also employ three Picarro Wavelength Scanned Cavity Ring-Down Spectrometers for the measurement of the stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen in liquid water samples. We are currently capable of accommodating natural abundance samples for all the species mentioned above. We are also able to analyze liquid water samples enriched in D, ¹⁸O or both.

The Stable Isotope Lab was awarded a Major Research Instrumentation grant in the summer of 2009 from the National Science Foundation (grant #0923571). This award allowed the acquisition of the Delta V Advantage IRMS and three Picarro WS-CRDS instruments which significantly expanded the analytical capacity of the facility.

The laboratory director and principal investigator is Dr. Jeff Welker. Daily operations are conducted by research analyst and lab manager Matthew Rogers and research analyst Naomi Bargmann.