Measurements Of Isotopic Composition Research Articles

Triple sulfur isotope relationships during sulfate-driven anaerobic oxidation of methane

Sulfate-driven anaerobic oxidation of methane (SD-AOM) plays a critical role in regulating the global methane budget. Determination of the diagnostic triple isotope exponent θ33 (≡ln33⁡α/ln34⁡α) for SD-AOM can help to identify and quantify microbial sulfate reduction via SD-AOM in the environment. The history of Earth's surface redox conditions can also be examined through the measurement of triple sulfur isotope compositions in sedimentary rocks. Due to difficulties in both culturing anaerobic methanotrophs and sampling pore-water sulfate in SD-AOM-dominated environments, however, the θ33 values for the processes of SD-AOM have not been constrained. We propose that a set of modern cold-seep associated barite samples with low Δδ18O/Δδ34S values bear a record of residual pore-water sulfate during SD-AOM, and therefore the triple sulfur isotope composition of these barites can be used to deduce θ33 values. We applied a 1-D diagenetic reaction–transport model to fit Δ33S and δ′34S results from modern cold seep barites collected from five sites in the Gulf of Mexico. Based on revealed negative correlations (R2=0.77) between Δ33S and δ′34S values we calculated an upper-limit θ33 value of 0.5100 to 0.5112 (±0.0005) given a 1000ln34⁡α value of −30‰ to −10‰. This θ33 value is distinctively lower than that of organoclastic sulfate reduction (OSR) in marine environments where the diagnostic isotope fractionation (1000ln34⁡α) is typically more negative than that of SD-AOM. In addition, cold seep barite data display a negative Δ33S–δ′34S correlation whereas pore-water sulfates of all OSR-dominated settings show a positive one. Therefore, the diagnostic triple-sulfur isotope exponent and associated negative Δ33S–δ′34S correlation may allow for the identification of SD-AOM in sedimentary records.

Evapotranspiration partitioning at the ecosystem scale using the stable isotope method—A review

Terrestrial evapotranspiration (ET) consists of evaporation (E) from canopy-intercepted water, evaporation from soil and open water, and transpiration (T) from plants. Determining the contribution of T to ET (hereafter T/ET) is challenging but necessary for improving water resource management and understanding the response of ecosystem water/energy budgets to climate change. Water stable isotopes provide unique information on ecosystem processes and can be used to partition evapotranspiration at the ecosystem scale. In this paper, the aim is to review the state of the science on the isotope method for ecosystem ET partitioning, with a focus on uncertainties related to estimating the three isotopic end members (isotopic compositions of ET, T and E). The published results show larger T/ET variations during the growing season in croplands due to water management and rapid leaf area index (LAI) changes compared to in other natural ecosystems. Another robust result is that on average, grasslands have lower T/ET than woodlands. The isotopic composition of ET is provided by measurements, while the isotopic compositions of T and E are generally obtained using the Craig-Gordon model with appropriate modifications. Significant advances have been made in the techniques for estimating the isotopic composition of ET, largely due to the availability of fast-responding instruments for in situ measurements of water vapor isotopic composition. The largest source of uncertainty in the T/ET estimation comes from uncertainties in the isotopic composition of ET. Based on published results of the uncertainties in the three end members, we estimate that a typical uncertainty range for T/ET is ±21% (one standard deviation). This review provides background information and theoretical references for studies on isotopic hydrology, ecosystem processes and climate change.

Stable Isotope (δ13C, δ15N, δ18O, δD) Composition and Nutrient Concentration of Red Sea Primary Producers

Measurements of isotopic composition of marine primary producers are a valuable tool to follow and trace the source and cycling of organic matter in the marine systems, as well to describe the physiological status of aquatic photosynthetic organisms. Although stable isotope data abounds in the literature, relatively limited information regarding the isotopic signatures of marine primary producers is available for the Red Sea. Here we present data on carbon concentration (and nitrogen when possible) of phytoplankton, macroalgae, seagrasses, mangroves and salt-marsh plants, and examine how their isotopic signatures differed among plant types across a north-south gradient in the Red Sea. We also tested the potential use of deuterium, δD, to distinguish among primary producers whose carbon isotopic values may overlap. Our findings showed a clear differentiation of carbon and nitrogen content between the different groups of primary producers, as well as between species. Seagrasses and mangroves had on average larger carbon (30 and 49 % of C, respectively) and nitrogen content (1.8 % N) than other groups. In terms of stable carbon isotopes, seagrasses and macroalgae tended to be heavier (-7.3 ‰ and -13.3 ‰, respectively) than halophytes, mangroves, and phytoplankton, which showed statistically similar and lighter δ13C values (between -24 ‰ and -26 ‰). There was a tendency for the nitrogen isotopic composition of seagrass and macroalgae to become lighter from the southern to the northern Red Sea, in parallel to a decline in nitrogen concentration in the tissues, indicative of a higher dependence of nitrogen fixation as a source of nitrogen toward the more oligotrophic northern Red Sea. Our results showed an overlap in the δ13C and δ15N values between macroalgae and seagrasses; however, their δD values were significantly different (seagrasses -56.6 ± 2.8 ‰ and macroalgae -95.7 ± 3.4 ‰). This remarkable difference offers a promising alternative for ecological studies where a similar range of isotopic values could mask different potential sources.

Relationships Between Inversion Strength, Lower‐Tropospheric Moistening, and Low‐Cloud Fraction in the Subtropical Southeast Pacific Derived From Stable Isotopologues of Water Vapor

AbstractQuantitative, observational constraints on lower‐tropospheric mixing are crucial for improved models of low‐cloud feedbacks, and analysis of water vapor isotopic composition provides an independent means for generating such constraints. In situ measurements of water vapor isotopic composition from the Chajnantor Plateau, in northern Chile, are merged with sounding data from Antofagasta and satellite measurements of cloud fraction (CF) from the SE Pacific to show an inverse relationship between the estimated inversion strength (EIS) and water vapor export from the marine boundary layer into the free troposphere. When merged with results from the subtropical northern Pacific, the relationship between EIS and water vapor transport is found to be exponential across EIS values ranging from 0 to 15.6 K. The data from Chile are stratified into terciles of EIS with average EIS values of 9, 12.6 and 15.6 K. We show positive relationships between EIS, cloud fraction, and the mixing diagnostic δDv−δDr and negative relationships between EIS and the observed mixing ratios and water vapor δD values at Chajnantor, all of which are consistent with an inverse relationship between inversion strength and water vapor export from the marine boundary layer. Inverse modeling of the isotopic data using a simple process model shows that the average mixing ratios at Chajnantor derived from the marine boundary layer are estimated to be 2.1, 1.15, and 0.84 g/kg, respectively, for the lowest, middle, and highest terciles of EIS. These results can be used to constrain convective parameterizations and models of low‐cloud feedbacks.

Technical note: In situ measurement of flux and isotopic composition of CO<sub>2</sub> released during oxidative weathering of sedimentary rocks

Abstract. Oxidative weathering of sedimentary rocks can release carbon dioxide (CO2) to the atmosphere and is an important natural CO2 emission. Two mechanisms operate – the oxidation of sedimentary organic matter and the dissolution of carbonate minerals by sulfuric acid. It has proved difficult to directly measure the rates at which CO2 is emitted in response to these weathering processes in the field, with previous work generally using methods which track the dissolved products of these reactions in rivers. Here we design a chamber method to measure CO2 production during the oxidative weathering of shale bedrock, which can be applied in erosive environments where rocks are exposed frequently to the atmosphere. The chamber is drilled directly into the rock face and has a high surface-area-to-volume ratio which benefits measurement of CO2 fluxes. It is a relatively low-cost method and provides a long-lived chamber (several months or more). To partition the measured CO2 fluxes and the source of CO2, we use zeolite molecular sieves to trap CO2 “actively” (over several hours) or “passively” (over a period of months). The approaches produce comparable results, with the trapped CO2 having a radiocarbon activity (fraction modern, Fm) ranging from Fm = 0.05 to Fm = 0.06 and demonstrating relatively little contamination from local atmospheric CO2 (Fm = 1.01). We use stable carbon isotopes of the trapped CO2 to partition between an organic and inorganic carbon source. The measured fluxes of rock-derived organic matter oxidation (171 ± 5 mgC m−2 day−1) and carbonate dissolution by sulfuric acid (534±16 mgC m−2 day−1) from a single chamber were high when compared to the annual flux estimates derived from using dissolved river chemistry in rivers around the world. The high oxidative weathering fluxes are consistent with the high erosion rate of the study region. We propose that our in situ method has the potential to be more widely deployed to directly measure CO2 fluxes during the oxidative weathering of sedimentary rocks, allowing for the spatial and temporal variability in these fluxes to be determined.

Hydraulic limitations in dominant trees as a contributing mechanism to the age-related growth decline of boreal forest stands

Hydraulic limitations in dominant trees may play a role in the growth decline that is commonly observed in aging forest stands. We hypothesized that hydraulic limitations affect dominant trees but not non-dominant trees in aging forests, resulting in changes in growth dominance during stand development. To test this hypothesis, we used a 1067-year-long post-fire chronosequence that was established in the eastern Canadian boreal forest. Within each stand, we estimated transpiration of different sized trees using direct (stem sap flow) and indirect (leaf isotope composition) measurements, which were combined with tree and stand growth estimates (growth dominance coefficient, GD). Stem sap flow measurements indicated that transpiration rate per unit leaf area (EL) of dominant trees indeed decreased with increasing stand age and, based upon temporal changes in leaf C and O isotope ratios, was related to an increase in stomatal closure. These results suggest that hydraulic limitation of dominant trees increased with stand age. Also, the slope of the relationship between EL and tree diameter that was calculated for each stand decreased with decreasing GD, implying that hydraulic limitation was responsible for the shift in stand growth dominance that was observed over time. Therefore, hydraulic limitation in dominant trees clearly contributes to reverse growth dominance of old-growth boreal forests, and could be involved in age-related declines in forest productivity.

Development of a High-Resolution Laser Absorption Spectroscopy Method with Application to the Determination of Absolute Concentration of Gaseous Elemental Mercury in Air.

Isotope dilution-cold-vapor-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ID-CV-ICPMS) has become the primary standard for measurement of gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) mass concentration. However, quantitative mass spectrometry is challenging for several reasons including (1) the need for isotopic spiking with a standard reference material, (2) the requirement for bias-free passive sampling protocols, (3) the need for stable mass spectrometry interface design, and (4) the time and cost involved for gas sampling, sample processing, and instrument calibration. Here, we introduce a high-resolution laser absorption spectroscopy method that eliminates the need for sample-specific calibration standards or detailed analysis of sample treatment losses. This technique involves a tunable, single-frequency laser absorption spectrometer that measures isotopically resolved spectra of elemental mercury (Hg) spectra of 6 1S0 ← 6 3P1 intercombination transition near λ = 253.7 nm. Measured spectra are accurately modeled from first-principles using the Beer-Lambert law and Voigt line profiles combined with literature values for line positions, line shape parameters, and the spontaneous emission Einstein coefficient to obtain GEM mass concentration values. We present application of this method for the measurement of the equilibrium concentration of mercury vapor near room temperature. Three closed systems are considered: two-phase mixtures of liquid Hg and its vapor and binary two-phase mixtures of Hg-air and Hg-N2 near atmospheric pressure. Within the experimental relative standard uncertainty, 0.9-1.5% congruent values of the equilibrium Hg vapor concentration are obtained for the Hg-only, Hg-air, Hg-N2 systems, in confirmation with thermodynamic predictions. We also discuss detection limits and the potential of the present technique to serve as an absolute primary standard for measurements of gas-phase mercury concentration and isotopic composition.

Evaluating the impact of Pb volatilization during 40Ar/39Ar CO2 laser fusion upon LA-ICP-MS measurement of Pb isotopic composition of detrital K-feldspar

Abstract The information provided by detrital studies can be greatly enhanced by coupling geochronology and isotopic measurements from the same grains. While accessory minerals like zircon and apatite have been widely exploited in this regard, modal phases have been under-utilized. The benefits of using K-feldspar in detrital studies are twofold: K-feldspar 40Ar/39Ar has shown promise as a detrital thermochronometer and incorporation of common Pb into K-feldspar allows its Pb isotope composition to be used as a provenance tool. In this paper, we quantitatively investigate the effects of laser fusion during 40Ar/39Ar analyses of K-feldspar upon subsequent LA-ICP-MS measurement of Pb isotopic ratios. The results reveal that significant Pb volatilization occurs during laser fusion of K-feldspar. While Pb isotopes do not appear to be significantly fractionated, counting statistics suffer as Pb concentrations are lowered. Conversely, neutron irradiation appears to have a small though inconsequential impact upon Pb isotopic measurement of K-feldspar. Consequently, K-feldspar can be analyzed for Pb isotopes prior to total fusion 40Ar/39Ar analysis. Despite this artifact, coupled 40Ar/39Ar and Pb isotopic measurements constitute a promising approach for provenance studies that seek to constrain the geochemical nature and thermal evolution of basement source regions.

Carbon isotope ratios of coccolith–associated polysaccharides of Emiliania huxleyi as a function of growth rate and CO2 concentration

The calcite plates, or coccoliths, of haptophyte algae including Emiliania huxleyi are formed in intracellular vesicles in association with water–soluble acidic polysaccharides. These coccolith–associated polysaccharides (CAPs) are involved in regulating coccolith formation and have been recovered from sediment samples dating back to ∼180 Ma. Paired measurements of the carbon isotopic compositions of CAPs and coccolith calcite have been proposed as a novel paleo–pCO2 barometer, but additional proxy validation and development are still required. Here we present culture results quantifying carbon isotopic offsets between CAPs and other cellular components: bulk organic biomass, alkenones, and calcite. E. huxleyi was grown in nitrate–limited chemostat experiments at growth rates (µ) of 0.20–0.62/d and carbon dioxide concentrations of 10.7–17.6 µmol/kg. We find that CAPs are isotopically enriched by 4.5–10.1‰ relative to bulk organic carbon, exhibiting smaller isotopic offsets at faster growth rates and lower CO2 concentrations. This variability suggests that CAPs record a complementary signature of past growth conditions with different sensitivity than alkenones or coccolith calcite. By measuring the isotopic compositions of all three molecules and minerals of self-consistent origin, the ratio µ/[CO2(aq)] may be reconstructed with fewer assumptions than current approaches.

Instrumentation and signal processing for the detection of heavy water using off axis-integrated cavity output spectroscopy technique.

An experimental setup is developed for the trace level detection of heavy water (HDO) using the off axis-integrated cavity output spectroscopy technique. The absorption spectrum of water samples is recorded in the spectral range of 7190.7 cm-1-7191.5 cm-1 with the diode laser as the light source. From the recorded water vapor absorption spectrum, the heavy water concentration is determined from the HDO and water line. The effect of cavity gain nonlinearity with per pass absorption is studied. The signal processing and data fitting procedure is devised to obtain linear calibration curves by including nonlinear cavity gain effects into the calculation. Initial calibration of mirror reflectivity is performed by measurements on the natural water sample. The signal processing and data fitting method has been validated by the measurement of the HDO concentration in water samples over a wide range from 20 ppm to 2280 ppm showing a linear calibration curve. The average measurement time is about 30 s. The experimental technique presented in this paper could be applied for the development of a portable instrument for the fast measurement of water isotopic composition in heavy water plants and for the detection of heavy water leak in pressurized heavy water reactors.

Quantitative measurement of carbon isotopic composition in CO2 gas reservoir by Micro-Laser Raman spectroscopy

The use of Micro-Laser Raman spectroscopy technology for quantitatively determining gas carbon isotope composition is presented. In this study, 12CO2 and 13CO2 were mixed with N2 at various molar fraction ratios to obtain Raman quantification factors (F12CO2 and F13CO2), which provide a theoretical basis for calculating the δ13C value. And the corresponding values were 0.523 (0<C12CO2/CN2<2) and 1.11998 (0<C13CO2/CN2<1.5) respectively. It has shown that the representative Raman peak area can be used for the determination of δ13C values within the relative errors range of 0.076% to 1.154% in 13CO2/12CO2 binary mixtures when F12CO2/F13CO2 is 0.466972625. In addition, measurement of δ13C values by Micro-Laser Raman analysis were carried out on natural CO2 gas from Shengli Oil-field at room temperature under different pressures. The δ13C values obtained by Micro-Laser Raman spectroscopy technology and Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (IRMS) technology are in good agreement with each other, and the relative errors range of δ13C values is 1.232%–6.964%. This research provides a fundamental analysis tool for determining gas carbon isotope composition (δ13C values) quantitatively by using Micro-Laser Raman spectroscopy. Experiment of results demonstrates that this method has the potential for obtaining δ13C values in natural CO2 gas reservoirs.

Seawater DIC analysis: The effects of blanks and long‐term storage on measurements of concentration and stable isotope composition

AbstractDissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) concentration and stable isotope composition measurements (δ13C) are central to the study of biological and chemical processes in the ocean. We examined a small volume (1 mL) method using continuous‐flow isotope ratio mass spectrometry (CF‐IRMS) for making both measurements in a single sample run. Prior exploration of this approach has yielded variable results. Effects of concentration, isotopic composition, storage time, and the gas used to flush the sample tubes were tested using standard solutions. Multiple isotopic composition standards permitted calculation of an apparent blank that develops due to slow rates of gas exchange through the septum. A blank correction is applied to the δ13C measurements, giving precision and accuracy better than 0.1‰ after 6 months of storage and ∼ 0.2‰ after 18 months of storage. CF‐IRMS concentration measurements on field samples collected near Tatoosh Island, off the Pacific coast of Washington, U.S.A., were compared to independent measurements (Dickson, CDQC Laboratory, UCSD) on the same water, the latter approach involving collection of 500 mL of seawater fixed with mercuric chloride. Concentration measurements by CF‐IRMS on seawater samples (precision ∼ 1–2%) are correctable to the Dickson results, though scatter in this relation exceeds analytical precision. The DIC and δ13C measurements on coastal seawater, in conjunction with salinity measurements, indicated strong effects of biological activity on carbon dynamics relative to possible effects of mixing water masses. In sum, this small volume methodology has application to field situations and laboratory experiments where larger volumes are logistically challenging and storage space is limited.

Using Stable Isotopes in Water Vapor to Diagnose Relationships Between Lower‐Tropospheric Stability, Mixing, and Low‐Cloud Cover Near the Island of Hawaii

AbstractIn situ measurements of water vapor isotopic composition from Mauna Loa, Hawaii, are merged with soundings from Hilo to show an inverse relationship between the estimated inversion strength (EIS) and isotopically derived measures of lower‐tropospheric mixing. Remote sensing estimates of cloud fraction, cloud liquid water path, and cloud top pressure were all found to be higher (lower) under low (high) EIS. Inverse modeling of the isotopic data corresponding to terciles of EIS conditions provide quantitative constraints on the last‐saturation temperatures and mixing fractions that govern the humidity above the trade inversion. The mixing fraction of water vapor transported from the boundary layer to Mauna Loa decreases with respect to EIS at a rate of about 3% K−1, corresponding to a mixing ratio decrease of 0.6 g kg−1 K−1. A last‐saturation temperature of 240 K can match all observations. This approach can be applied in other settings and may be used to test models of low‐cloud climate feedbacks.

An optimized protocol for high precision measurement of Hg isotopic compositions in samples with low concentrations of Hg using MC-ICP-MS

Optimized gas flows achieved the direct determination of Hg isotopic compositions of 0.1 ng mL−1 solutions.

Qualification of heavy water based irradiation device in the JSI TRIGA reactor for irradiations of FT-TIMS samples for nuclear safeguards

The Fission Track Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometry (FT-TIMS) method is considered as the reference method for particle analysis in the field of nuclear Safeguards for measurements of isotopic compositions (fissile material enrichment levels) in micrometer-sized uranium particles collected in nuclear facilities. An integral phase in the method is the irradiation of samples in a very well thermalized neutron spectrum. A bilateral collaboration project was carried out between the Jožef Stefan Institute (JSI, Slovenia) and the Commissariat à l’Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives (CEA, France) to determine whether the JSI TRIGA reactor could be used for irradiations of samples for the FT-TIMS method. This paper describes Monte Carlo simulations, experimental activation measurements and test irradiations performed in the JSI TRIGA reactor, firstly to determine the feasibility, and secondly to design and qualify a purpose-built heavy water based irradiation device for FT-TIMS samples. The final device design has been shown experimentally to meet all the required performance specifications.

Applicability study of the photofission based nuclear material isotopic composition measurement method on the Thorium-Uranium system

A principle of new nondestructive assay (NDA) technique based on the photofission reaction ratio (PFRR) has been developed, which is aimed at measuring the isotopic composition of nuclear fuel materials without relying on their self-generated neutron information. The feasibility of the PFRR method was validated in the 235U-238U system previously. However, applicability of the PFRR method in the other material is not yet validated. In this study, applicability of PFRR method to the 232Th-233U system was confirmed, PFRR method showed good reproducibility of predicted value of 232Th and 233U isotopic composition.

In situ carbon isotopic exploration of an active submarine volcano

The geologic and biogeochemical cycling of carbon in deep ocean environments has important implications for our understanding of the functioning of Earth systems across a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. To improve our ability to study the cycling and fluxes of carbon in the deep ocean, new technologies are emerging for making in situ measurements of carbon compounds over a range of environmental contexts. Within many of these deep-sea environments, fluxes of carbon compounds often occur as either venting fluids or rising gas bubbles. Key compounds of interest include methane (CH4), dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), and carbon dioxide (CO2) – a component of DIC. In particular, measurement of the carbon isotopic composition (δ13C) of these pools can offer a better understanding of the nature of sources, fluxes, and cycling processes involving these compounds. Here we present the advancement of an in situ laser spectrometer (initially developed for measurement of δ13CCH4 only) into a sensor that can measure δ13C of both CH4 and CO2 in both deep-sea bubble plumes as well as geologic fluids. We present results of a 2014 telepresence-enabled investigation of a back arc submarine volcano (Kick’em Jenny) in the Caribbean Sea. In situ isotopic analysis of both bubbles and fluids suggest a primarily thermogenic origin for CH4 and a magmatic origin for CO2, yet highlight the occurrence of some heterogeneities indicating locally elevated contribution of organic matter to DIC fluxes.

Using ocean models to predict spatial and temporal variation in marine carbon isotopes

AbstractNatural‐abundance stable isotope ratios provide a wealth of ecological information relating to food web structure, trophic level, and location. The correct interpretation of stable isotope data requires an understanding of spatial and temporal variation in the isotopic compositions at the base of the food web. In marine pelagic environments, accurate interpretation of stable isotope data is hampered by a lack of reliable, spatio‐temporally distributed measurements of baseline isotopic compositions. In this study, we present a relatively simple, process‐based carbon isotope model that predicts the spatio‐temporal distributions of the carbon isotope composition of phytoplankton (here expressed as δ13CPLK) across the global ocean at one degree and monthly resolution. The model is driven by output from a coupled physics‐biogeochemistry model, NEMO‐MEDUSA, and operates offline; it could also be coupled to alternative underlying ocean model systems. Model validation is challenged by the same lack of spatio‐temporally explicit data that motivates model development, but predictions from our model successfully reproduce major spatial patterns in carbon isotope values observed in zooplankton, and are consistent with simulations from alternative models. Model predictions represent an initial hypothesis of spatial and temporal variation in carbon isotopic baselines in ocean areas where a few data are currently available, and provide the best currently available tool to estimate spatial and temporal variation in baseline isotopic compositions at ocean basin to global scales.

Consistent C3 plant habitat of hominins during 400–300 ka at the Longyadong Cave site (Luonan Basin, central China) revealed by stable carbon isotope analyses of loess deposits

The proportions of woody and grassland taxa in terrestrial ecosystems played an important role in the origin and evolution of early Palaeolithic hominins. However the influence of ecosystem changes on hominin behavior and adaptations in Asia has not been studied in detail. Hominins have exploited the Luonan Basin in the Eastern Qinling Mountains, central China, since the early Paleolithic. Dated sites, consisting of alternating loess and soil deposits with in situ artefacts, are common in the region, and provide a detailed record of Early to Middle Pleistocene hominin environments. Here, we present the results of measurements of the stable carbon isotopic composition of soil organic matter (δ13CSOM) in the loess-paleosol sequences from the Longyadong Cave site. Our analyses of δ13CSOM show that for at least 400 ka the Longyadong Cave site and its surroundings were dominated by C3 woody plants, whereas the nearby Liuwan site was dominated by C4 and C3 mixed grassland or woody grassland vegetation. These findings demonstrate that between 400 and 300 ka in the Luonan Basin, hominins occupied a habitat consisting of a mosaic of grassland and woodland/forest. Although the vegetation of the region changed in response to the glacial–interglacial climatic cycles, patches of woody vegetation in landscapes such as at Longyadong Cave site persisted continuously. Such environments seem to be have been favored by hominins living in the Luonan Basin, possibly because they provided a diverse range of food resources during both glacial and interglacial intervals of the Middle Pleistocene, when most of northern China was experiencing an increasing trend of drying and cooling and steppe environments were expanding. Thus, the Luonan Basin would have served as a refugium for hominin occupation in China during the Middle Pleistocene.

ASSESSMENT OF THE REACTIVITY BIAS AND BIAS UNCERTAINTY DUE TO WWER-440 FUEL DEPLETION UNCERTAINTIES

In this paper, bias and bias uncertainty in the neutron multiplication factor due to biases and bias uncertainties in the calculated nuclide concentrations in the spent nuclear fuel of WWER-440 type was assessed. To determine isotopic biases and bias uncertainties in the calculated nuclide concentrations, they were compared to the results of the measurements of isotopic compositions from destructive radiochemical assay of WWER-440 spent fuel carried out in the RIAR. In calculations Monte Carlo uncertainty sampling method was used.