Application of Hydrogen and Oxygen Isotope Ratios of Water to the Study of Evaporation, Palaeoclimate, and Ancient Marine Conditions
type: CreativeWork
description: Triple-oxygen and hydrogen isotopes of water are critical to aid our understanding of the hydrological cycle on the modern and ancient Earth. As such, this thesis presents advancements in techniques and in the understanding of the isotopic behaviour of water that undergoes evaporation in different conditions. An application of these findings is made to palaeoclimate data, and an expansion of the use of water isotopes from hydrated minerals is applied to a novel mineral system. Of fundamental importance to the hydrological cycle is the process of evaporation. Yet, under- standing how water isotopes behave as they experience evaporation remains poorly quantified. One limitation is the ability to confirm theoretical models or palaoeclimatic data sets with accurate, precise, and controllable experiments. To overcome this, I developed a widely applicable experimental method that permits the measurement of the triple-oxygen and hydrogen isotope evolution of an evaporating fluid and its coincident vapour that is both highly accurate and with a precision and sampling rate previously unobtainable. Additionally, the methodology permits a wide range of variables to be controlled or manipulated, allowing future scholars to thoroughly explore the effect of differing climatic conditions on the full suite of water isotopes as they undergo evaporation. One such variable explored is the morphology of an evaporating basin. Whilst currently neglected in studies that examine lacustrine palaeoclimate records, I present experimental data for both idealised and real basin morphologies (generated by 3D printing) that highlights a significant effect on the rate of isotopic change as a function of basin morphology, despite constant environmental conditions. Experimental data suggest that unless the surface area to volume (SA:V) ratio of a lake is considered, palaeoclimatic data from two lakes with distinct morphologies but undergoing evaporation under identical climates could be misinterpret…
abstract: Triple-oxygen and hydrogen isotopes of water are critical to aid our understanding of the hydrological cycle on the modern and ancient Earth. As such, this thesis presents advancements in techniques and in the understanding of the isotopic behaviour of water that undergoes evaporation in different conditions. An application of these findings is made to palaeoclimate data, and an expansion of the use of water isotopes from hydrated minerals is applied to a novel mineral system. Of fundamental importance to the hydrological cycle is the process of evaporation. Yet, under- standing how water isotopes behave as they experience evaporation remains poorly quantified. One limitation is the ability to confirm theoretical models or palaoeclimatic data sets with accurate, precise, and controllable experiments. To overcome this, I developed a widely applicable experimental method that permits the measurement of the triple-oxygen and hydrogen isotope evolution of an evaporating fluid and its coincident vapour that is both highly accurate and with a precision and sampling rate previously unobtainable. Additionally, the methodology permits a wide range of variables to be controlled or manipulated, allowing future scholars to thoroughly explore the effect of differing climatic conditions on the full suite of water isotopes as they undergo evaporation. One such variable explored is the morphology of an evaporating basin. Whilst currently neglected in studies that examine lacustrine palaeoclimate records, I present experimental data for both idealised and real basin morphologies (generated by 3D printing) that highlights a significant effect on the rate of isotopic change as a function of basin morphology, despite constant environmental conditions. Experimental data suggest that unless the surface area to volume (SA:V) ratio of a lake is considered, palaeoclimatic data from two lakes with distinct morphologies but undergoing evaporation under identical climates could be misinterpret…
author: Brady, Matthew
language: eng
keywords: Palaeoclimate, Water isotopes, Triple-oxygen, Gypsum, Talc
license: https://apollo8-f-pro.lib.cam.ac.uk/bitstreams/3582235e-c279-4787-aa34-fe1e7f72beaf/download
license: http://purl.org/NET/rdflicense/allrightsreserved
date published: 2022-08-01
date modified: 2026-07-22T22:24:25Z
provider: Cambridge University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Cambridge

PropertyValue
property ID: DOI
value: 10.17863/CAM.97161