Rayleigh fractionation of stable isotopes from a multicomponent source

Abstract

A formulation of the Rayleigh equation for the stable isotopic evolution of a multicomponent source reservoir is presented. Its applicability to the carbon and oxygen isotopic evolution of a fluid-rich carbonate magma and the crystallizing calcite carbonatite is demonstrated using data from the Amba Dongar carbonatite complex, Deccan province, India. The initial δ 13C of the parent magma for this complex has been estimated to be −5.3 ± 0.2‰ relative to V-PDB.