Abstract
Triple oxygen isotopes of hydrothermally altered minerals from crystalline rocks can be used to determine past elevations of mountain ranges. This method uses all three isotopes of oxygen (16O, 17O, and 18O) to create arrays that can be extrapolated back to the meteoric water line. One advantage of this technique is that it relies only on oxygen isotopes in contrast to previous studies that use oxygen and hydrogen isotopes to determine the isotopic composition of meteoric waters. Our analysis suggests that hydrogen isotopes may exchange with ambient fluids. Triple oxygen isotopes provide an independent check on the reliability of hydrogen isotope studies.
Highlights
With the advent of stable isotope paleoaltimetry over 20 years ago (Chamberlain et al, 1999; Garzione et al, 2000; Rowley et al, 2001), we have excellent constraints on the topographic history of many of the world’s mountain belts
This work builds on the well-known relationship between δ18O and δD of meteoric water and elevation (Dansgaard, 1964), which is governed by Rayleigh distillation as airmasses and resultant precipitation pass over a mountain range
At the root of stable isotope paleoaltimetry studies are the theoretical and experimental advances that allow for a deeper understanding of isotopic records and increased number of proxies for the isotopic composition of paleo-precipitation
Summary
Triple oxygen isotopes of hydrothermally altered minerals from crystalline rocks can be used to determine past elevations of mountain ranges. This method uses all three isotopes of oxygen (16O, 17O, and 18O) to create arrays that can be extrapolated back to the meteoric water line. One advantage of this technique is that it relies only on oxygen isotopes in contrast to previous studies that use oxygen and hydrogen isotopes to determine the isotopic composition of meteoric waters. Triple oxygen isotopes provide an independent check on the reliability of hydrogen isotope studies
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