Purdue University - Department of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences
Stable Isotope Forensics in Biogeochemistry
EAS 59100 - 017
17631
Lecture/lab 4 units
This lecture/lab course is designed to give upper division undergraduates and graduate students hands on experience using stable isotope as a forensics tool in the biogeosciences including hydrology, ecology, atmospheric processes, and chemistry. How are isotopes used to understand food web dynamic in ecological systems? How are they used to understand the hydrologic cycle? What is the theory and applications of stable isotopes a recorders of temperature at annual to millennial timescales? What can we learn about the carbon, nitrogen and sulfur cycles by studying their abundances in nature? What is the role of stable isotopes in anthropological research? What role do stable isotopes play in understanding climate and environmental change?
Core concepts of the course include isotope instrumentation, nomenclature, mass balance studies, enrichment/tracer approaches and theory of the physical chemistry of kinetic, equilibrium, and mass independent isotope effects. These first principle process will be used to understand chemical, biological, ecological and hydrological systems. The lab aspect of the course will give students hands on experience using top of the line research instrumentation at the Purdue Stable Isotope facility. Grading is largely based on laboratory write ups and presentations that are expected to be of research, peer review quality. However, a non lab option will also be available. Perquisites of the course are general chemistry and college level math skills and enthusiasm.
