CARBONATE CLUMPED ISOTOPES OF THE HONEY CREEK TRAVERTINES IN THE ARBUCKLE MOUNTAINS, OKLAHOMA

Clumped isotope analysis is a method for constructing paleothermometers using multiply substituted isotopologues in carbonate materials. This method is favored over other stable isotope analyses, as it does not depend on the isotopic composition of water during precipitation and can be used to reconstruct paleothermometers with few assumptions. New data from travertines are reported. Travertines are continental carbonate rocks which precipitate from a spring at Earth’s surface. Over four seasons (May 2016 to May 2017), water and travertine samples were collected, and ambient temperature was recorded hourly using a HOBO temperature logger in Honey Creek within Oklahoma. Water samples determined seasonal aqueous chemistry to identify factors controlling travertine precipitation. Travertine samples were prepared for carbonate clumped isotope analysis using a diluted H2O2 solution to identify whether precipitation temperature mirrors ambient water temperature, following Eagle et al. (2013) and modified to accommodate significant organic matter content. A larger sample was treated with a more aggressive H2O2 solution over the course of 24 hours before being analyzed for carbonate clumped isotopes and the results are compared between the two treatments. Average clumped isotope derived temperatures differ from the logger temperature averages by 1.7 to 5.5 ᵒC. These derived values are not exact and reasons for their differences will be considered. Future work requires refining the sample preparation method to ensure all interfering organic matter is removed.School of Earth Sciences Field Experience Travel FundCress Creek Garden ClubA five-year embargo was granted for this item