Systematics of the main stable and radiogenic isotopes. Analytical methods and absolute dating. Radiogenic isotopes as geological tracers of geological processes and their applications to anthropological, archeological and environmental sciences (isoscapes). Stable isotopes: isotope fractionation; biogeochemical aspects. Stable isotopes as environmental tracers.
- Dickin A.P. (1995). Radiogenic isotope geology. Cambridge University Press, 452 p.
- J. Hoefs, Stable Isotope Geochemistry, Kindle Edition
- pdf file available during lectures
Learning Objectives
Students acquire skills to understand (i) the main methods of absolute dating; (i) the process of transfer of the geochemical-isotopic characteristics of the bedrock along all the trophic chain, allowing the use of isotopes as tracers in anthroplogical, archeological, and environmental sciences, (iii) isotopic tools for defining the source of anthropic handwrks; (iv) application of isotopic techniques to population migration by stable and radiogenic isotopes of bone, collagene and so forth.
Prerequisites
Courses required: none
basic knowledge of inorganic chemistry
Teaching Methods
oral lectures
Type of Assessment
Question time during classes.
Oral examination with discussion of a scientific paper in English related to one or more topics dealt with during the course.
Course program
Physics of the nucleus: law of radioactive decay. Description of the main radiogenic isotope systems used in geology (K-Ar, Rb-Sr, Sm-Nd, U-Th-Pb). Notes on the theory of errors. Analytical methods. The thermal ionization mass spectrometer. Application of radiogenic isotopes and stable isotopes in anthropology and bioarchaeology as tracers of metabolism, diet, provenance and mobility of human and animal findings as well as artifacts. Brief overview on applications to forensic anthropology through the integrated study of multiple isotope profiles (C, N, O, H, S, Sr, and Pb) on human tissues (teeth, bones, hair, nails) together with isotopic maps of the territory (isoscapes ) to identify the areas of origin of unidentified human findings.