The ISOLAB FACILITY of the AWI in Potsdam develops and utilizes stable H, O, C, N isotope methods to decipher Quaternary environmental change on in polar regions of both hemispheres.

The Laboratory for Stable Isotopes at AWI Potsdam does research in the Polar Regions of both hemispheres on natural materials such as water, ice, organic matter form soils and sediments and biogenic opal (i.e. diatoms). We use analyses on stable oxygen, hydrogen, carbon and nitrogen isotopes to reconstruct the climate and environmental dynamics in high latitudes (both Arctic and Antarctic research).

The research focus region is Alaska, Canada, Siberia. The scientific orientation of research projects include scientific applications of stable isotope methods in permafrost research, palaeoclimate studies, by also in the fields of limnology, hydrology, ecology and glaciology.

The work at the ISOLAB Facility is closely linked to the activities of the working group "Past Climate Change" of the Polar Terrestrial Environmental Systems Section.

Lead
Dr. Hanno Meyer

Technical staff
Dr. Andreas Marent, engineer
Mikaela Weiner (CTA)

Analytical devices

The Laboratory for Stable Isotopes is equipped with the following devices and peripheries:

Mass spectrometer

Finnigan-MAT Delta S

  • 3 Finnigan-MAT Delta-S mass spectrometers: HD, CO2, each with 2 equilibration units for H- and O isotopes.

ThermoFisher Delta V

  • 1 ThermoFisher Delta-V-Advantage mass spectrometer for CO2, N2, with Conflo-IV and Flash EA 2000 elemental anlyser and autosampler for C and N Isotopes.

PDZ Europa 2020

  • 1 PDZ Europa Scientific 20/20 mass spectrometer: O2, with custom-made laser fluoration (with BrF5) for O isotopes in (biogenic) silicates.

Laser spectrometers

Picarro L2120i

  • 1 Picarro L2120i Cavity RingDown Spectrometer with A0101 Autosampler and A0211 Vaporizer for H und O isotopes (in water samples) or alternatively coupled with a A0213 induction module (IM) for H und O isotopes (in solids).

Picarro L2130i

  • 1 Picarro L2130i Cavity RingDown Spectrometer with PAL HTC-xt Autosampler and A0211 Vaporizer for H and O isotopes (in water samples)

Picarro L2140i

  • 1 Picarro L2140i Cavity RingDown Spectrometer with A0101 Autosampler and A0211 Vaporizer for H and O isotopes (in water samples)
  • 1 Picarro L2140i Cavity RingDown Spectrometer with own standard module for continuous H and O isotope measurements (in water vapour). Device situated on Samoylov Island, Siberia (since 2015).

Projects, Cooperations, Networking