What controls clumped isotopes?

Abstract

Isotope Geochemistry Stable isotopes of a molecule can clump together in several combinations, depending on their mass. Even for simple molecules such as O2, which can contain 16O, 17O, and 18O in various combinations, clumped isotopes can potentially reveal the temperatures at which molecules form. Away from equilibrium, however, the pattern of clumped isotopes may reflect a complex array of processes. Using high-resolution gas-phase mass spectrometry, Yeung et al. found that biological factors influence the clumped isotope signature of oxygen produced during photosynthesis (see the Perspective by Passey). Similarly, Wang et al. showed that away from equilibrium, kinetic effects causing isotope clumping can lead to overestimation of the temperature at which microbially produced methane forms. Science , this issue p. [431][1]; p. [428][2]; see also p. [394][3] [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.aaa6284 [2]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.aaa4326 [3]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.aab1604