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InterCarb: A community effort to improve inter-laboratory standardization of the carbonate clumped isotope thermometer using carbonate standards
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  • Stefano Bernasconi,
  • Mathieu Daëron,
  • Kristin D Bergmann,
  • Magali Bonifacie,
  • Anna Nele Meckler
Stefano Bernasconi
ETH Zurich, ETH Zurich, ETH Zürich, ETH Zürich

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Mathieu Daëron
LSCE Gif sur Yvette, LSCE Gif sur Yvette, Université Paris-Saclay, Université Paris-Saclay
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Kristin D Bergmann
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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Magali Bonifacie
Université de Paris, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, Université de Paris, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, Université de Paris, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, Université de Paris, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris
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Anna Nele Meckler
University of Bergen, University of Bergen, University of Bergen, University of Bergen
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Abstract

Increased adoption and improved methodology in carbonate clumped isotope thermometry has greatly enhanced our ability to interrogate a suite of Earth-system processes. However, interlaboratory discrepancies in quantifying Increased use and improved methodology of carbonate clumped isotope thermometry has greatly enhanced our ability to interrogate a suite of Earth-system processes. However, inter-laboratory discrepancies in quantifying carbonate clumped isotope (Δ47) measurements persist, and their specific sources remain unclear. To address inter-laboratory differences, we first provide consensus values from the clumped isotope community for four carbonate standards relative to heated and equilibrated gases with 1,819 individual analyses from 10 laboratories. Then we analyzed the four carbonate standards along with three additional standards, spanning a broad range of δ47 and Δ47 compositions, for a total of 5,329 analyses on 25 individual mass spectrometers from 22 different laboratories. Treating three of the materials as known standards and the other four as unknowns, we find that the use of carbonate reference materials is a robust method for standardization that yields inter-laboratory discrepancies entirely consistent with in-laboratory analytical uncertainties. Carbonate reference materials, along with measurement and data processing practices described herein, provide the carbonate clumped isotope community with a robust approach to achieve inter-laboratory agreement as we continue to use and improve this powerful geochemical tool. We propose that carbonate clumped isotope data normalized to the carbonate reference materials described in this publication should be reported as Δ47 (I-CDES) for Intercarb-Carbon Dioxide Equilibrium Scale.