Introduction to Isotope Geochemistry

Isotopic variations in nature provide key insights into the age of the Earth and its rocks, as well as the evolution of Earth's major reservoirs, including the mantle, crust and hydrosphere. How do we know the age of the Earth? When did continents first form? How have the oceans changed through time? This course will address these and related topics by focusing on the fundamental processes that govern isotopic variations, including radioactive decay, mass dependent isotope fractionation and dynamic transfers between reservoirs.