THEORETICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL ASPECTS OF ISOTOPIC FRACTIONATION.

Abstract

Essential to the interpretation of natural variations of light stable isotope ratios is knowledge of the magnitude and temperature dependence of isotopic fractionation factors between the common minerals and fluids. These fractionation factors are obtained in three ways: (1) Semi-empirical calculations using spectroscopic data and the methods of statistical mechanics. (2) Laboratory calibration studies. (3) Measurements of natural samples whose formation conditions are well-known or highly constrained. In this chapter methods (1) and (2) are evaluated and a review is given of the present state of knowledge of the theory of isotopic fractionation and the fraction that influence the isotopic properties of minerals.