In the Isotope Laboratory, stable isotopes of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and hydrogen are investigated by determining the ratio of individual isotopes (atoms of one element whose nuclei contain different numbers of neutrons) in the sample material. The isotopic composition of the sample allows conclusions about, for instance, the prevailing temperature and precipitation regime when the material was formed. In addition to paleoclimatology, stable isotopes are also utilized in geological, …

The Micro X-Ray Fluorescence (µXRF) Lab houses two spectrometers used for element dirstribution maps and quantitative analysis of the main and trace elements. The Bruker Tornado M4 plus can analyse samples up to 16x20 cm and runs under vacuum to allow detection of low mass elements. The lowest spot size is 20 µm. The Bruker Jetstream M6 can analyse large samples with a maximum mapping size of 60x80 cm. It usually runs under atmosphere (no detection of low mass elements). The spot size is …