Using stable isotopes to understand Earth systems
- We study the carbon cycle by measuring stable isotopes of greenhouse gases from a global air sampling network.
- We study climates of the past by measuring stable isotopes of water in ice cores from Greenland and Antarctica.
- We fly drones over the Greenland Ice Sheet to measure isotopes of water vapor, and to better understand water fluxes from the cryosphere.
- We measure methane on a local scale to study the sustainability of oil and gas extraction in the Rocky Mountain West.
- We continually improve our methods with new, automated techniques for measuring environmental stable isotopes.
- We provide analytical services to scientists and institutions around the world.
We excel at measurements of
- δ13C and δ18O in ambient or pure carbon dioxide
- δ13C of atmospheric methane and local sources of elevated methane
- Water from ice cores as well as environmental waters
Our instrumentation includes
- Dual-inlet and continuous-flow isotope-ratio mass spectrometers
- Laser-based cavity ring-down spectrometers.
Stable Isotope Lab by the numbers
- 30+ Years of operations
- 8,000+ Square feet of lab space
- 800 Square feet of freezer space (-20°C)
- 5 Full-time employees + students and Post Docs
- 25,000+ Analyses per year
- 3,000 Gallons of liquid nitrogen on demand
- 180+ Publications associated with the lab
- 36+ Publications in Nature or Science
Partners



You can reach us at the lab at (303) 492-5495
Or just come visit! We are in the southeast corner of SEEC (Sustainability, Energy, and Environment Complex) at 4001 Discovery Dr.