Abstract
AFTER McCrea1 and Epstein et al.2 established the carbonate–water palaeotemperature technique whereby the temperature of calcium carbonate precipitation can bo determined by measuring the oxygen-18 content of the calcite, this tool has been widely utilized by a large number of workers for marine carbonates ranging in age from early Mesozoic to the present. Since the fractionation factor, that is, the isotopic composition of calcite divided by that of sea-water, is temperature dependent, deposition temperatures can be determined by: (1) measuring the 18O/16O ratio of ancient carbonate; (2) assuming a value for the isotopic composition of sea-water at that time.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
