Investigators

Anton Eisenhauer, GEOMAR, Germany
Martin Dietzel, TU Graz, Austria
Jan Fietzke, GEOMAR, Germany

Goal

Determining the degree of temperature dependent Sr isotope fractionation during inorganic precipitation of carbonates

Summary

Previous results have already shown that Sr isotope fractionation during carbonate precipitation is temperature dependent (δ^88/86Sr(‰) ~ 0.0054±0.0005.T(°C)-0.21) which has been shown for inorganic aragonite precipitates in the temperature range from 10 to 50°C in incremental steps of 10°C (Fietzke & Eisenhauer, 2006). Within the frame of the TRION project we will continue these experiments and compare them to aragonite precipitated by reef building corals from the Red Sea. In collaboration with Prof. Martin Dietzel from the Graz University of Technology, Austria, we will perform inorganic precipitation experiments under laboratory controlled conditions and as a function of parameters like water temperature, pH, precipitation rate and ionic strength. The setup of the experiments will be designed in a way that it mimics the chemical conditions of ocean waters.