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Non-Mass Dependent Isotope Fractionation: An Application In The Hyperarid Environment And A Set Of Experiments On Thermal Diffusion, Tao Sun

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation consists of two independent topics; both are related to non-mass dependent isotope fractionation. 1) Atacama Gravel Sulfate: The onset of hyperaridity of Atacama Desert is of geological importance and has been controversial. I put constraints this timing by looking into a new record, a deep sulfate profile extending from the surface down to the oxide zone of a copper ore in the Atacama Gravels, whose deposition covers a majority of the Central Depression and temporarily spans from semi-arid to hyper-arid climate. The gravel sulfates show a strong depth-dependent pattern through ~50 meters (15 to 65 meter depth): narrow …