Entries by isobar

Isobar Science Exhibits at SAA 2022

Isobar Science and Beta Analytic continue to support the Society of American Archaeology (SAA) by joining its annual meeting as an exhibitor.

A highlight on tsunami research: Professor Sam Purkis

A study researchering the dynamics of carbonate stratigraphy and vulnerability of sea life to climate change used a combination of radiocarbon and U-Th dating of corals and cemented sediments to date an incipient submarine landslide

Tracing Volcanic Eruptions using Strontium Isotopes

Volcanic eruptions are significant geological events with far reaching implications. The analysis of isotopes in various sample types can provide information on the timing and magnitude of past volcanic eruptions.

Lead Isotopes in Archaeology

In archaeological studies, lead isotopes are measured for two main applications: tracing origin of metal artefacts and reconstructing human origin and migratory patterns.

Strontium Isotopes (87Sr/86Sr) for Geochronology

Strontium ratios have varied in the world’s oceans through time as a result of fluctuations in strontium type and availability, often resulting from weathering of continental materials as well as volcanic activity at the mid-oceanic ridge. Such variations are recorded in oceanic sediment as a result of the precipitation of minerals from seawater, which has been used as a basis for the 87Sr/86Sr marine curve.

Corals: A marine recorder of climate variability

Before a time series of climate variability can be developed, the coral growth bands must first be dated. Corals can be dated using radiocarbon dating, U-Th dating and/or Sr-Sr dating.

Geochemistry: Stable and Radioactive Isotopes

In geochemical research, stable and unstable isotopes are used to understand the chemistry behind natural processes. Isotopes are different forms of a single element, with differing numbers of neutrons within their nucleus, resulting in different atomic masses.