Tyler B. Coplen, Ph.D.
Dr. Tyler Coplen is the Director of the Reston Stable Isotope Laboratory of the USGS Water Resources Mission Area.
Tyler B. Coplen is an ST scientist in geochemistry. His research focuses on isotope hydrology, development of innovative analytical techniques for isotopic analysis of light elements, provides forensic-quality analytical services to USGS programs, and creates isotopic reference materials for calibration of mass spectrometers and laser absorption spectrometers in isotope laboratories worldwide. In 1974, he joined the U.S. Geological Survey, and in 1978, he set up the Reston Stable Isotope Laboratory, please visit the Reston Stable Isotope Laboratory website. He set up and led the Subcommittee on Natural Isotopic Fractionation (1985–2002) of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) that resulted in a dozen elements being assigned standard atomic-weight values that are intervals, instead of single values, to indicate that atomic-weight values of many elements are not constants of nature.
Professional Experience
Assistant Research Geochemist, University of California, Riverside 1970–1974
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. 1970, University of Chicago, Department of Geophysical Sciences, Advisor: Prof. Robert N. Clayton
M.S. 1968, University of Chicago, Department of Geophysical Sciences
B.S. 1966, Pacific Lutheran University, Major: Physics
Affiliations and Memberships*
Honorary Member, Commission on Isotopic Abundances and Atomic Weights of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 18
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Atomic weights of the elements 2009 (IUPAC technical report) Atomic weights of the elements 2009 (IUPAC technical report)
The biennial review of atomic-weight determinations and other cognate data has resulted in changes for the standard atomic weights of 11 elements. Many atomic weights are not constants of nature, but depend upon the physical, chemical, and nuclear history of the material. The standard atomic weights of 10 elements having two or more stable isotopes have been changed to reflect this...
Authors
M.E. Wieser, Tyler Coplen
Caution on the use of liquid nitrogen traps in stable hydrogen isotope-ratio mass spectrometry Caution on the use of liquid nitrogen traps in stable hydrogen isotope-ratio mass spectrometry
An anomalous stable hydrogen isotopic fractionation of 4 ‰ in gaseous hydrogen has been correlated with the process of adding liquid nitrogen (LN2) to top off the dewar of a stainless-steel water trap on a gaseous hydrogen-water platinum equilibration system. Although the cause of this isotopic fractionation is unknown, its effect can be mitigated by (1) increasing the capacity of any...
Authors
Tyler Coplen, Haiping Qi
Correction for the 17O interference in δ(13C) measurements when analyzing CO2 with stable isotope mass spectrometry Correction for the 17O interference in δ(13C) measurements when analyzing CO2 with stable isotope mass spectrometry
Measurements of δ(13C) determined on CO2 with an isotope-ratio mass spectrometer (IRMS) must be corrected for the amount of 17O in the CO2. For data consistency, this must be done using identical methods by different laboratories. This report aims at unifying data treatment for CO2 IRMS by proposing (i) a unified set of numerical values, and (ii) a unified correction algorithm, based on...
Authors
Willi A. Brand, Sergey Assonov, Tyler Coplen
Novel silver tubing method for quantitative introduction of water into high temperature conversion systems for stable hydrogen and oxygen isotopic measurements Novel silver tubing method for quantitative introduction of water into high temperature conversion systems for stable hydrogen and oxygen isotopic measurements
A new method to seal water in silver tubes for use in a TC/EA reduction unit using a semi-automated sealing apparatus can yield reproducibilities (1 standard deviation) of δ2H and &delta18O measurements of 1.0 ‰ and 0.06 ‰, respectively. These silver tubes containing reference waters may be preferred for calibration of H- and O-bearing materials analyzed with a TC/EA reduction unit. The...
Authors
Haiping Qi, Manfred Groning, Tyler Coplen, Bryan Buck, Stanley Mroczkowski, Willi A. Brand, Heike Geilmann, Matthias Gehre
Applying the silver-tube introduction method for thermal conversion elemental analyses and a new δ2H value for NBS 22 oil Applying the silver-tube introduction method for thermal conversion elemental analyses and a new δ2H value for NBS 22 oil
The δ2HVSMOW–SLAP value of total hydrogen of the international measurement standard NBS 22 oil was determined by a new method of sealing water in silver tubes for use in a thermal conversion elemental analysis (TC/EA) reduction unit. The isotopic fractionation of water due to evaporation is virtually non-existent in this silver-tube method. A new value for the δ2HVSMOW–SLAP of NBS 22 oil
Authors
Tyler Coplen, Haiping Qi
Isotope reference materials Isotope reference materials
Measurement of the same isotopically homogeneous sample by any laboratory worldwide should yield the same isotopic composition within analytical uncertainty. International distribution of light element isotopic reference materials by the International Atomic Energy Agency and the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology enable laboratories to achieve this goal.
Authors
Tyler Coplen
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 18
No Result Found
Filter Total Items: 153
Atomic weights of the elements 2009 (IUPAC technical report) Atomic weights of the elements 2009 (IUPAC technical report)
The biennial review of atomic-weight determinations and other cognate data has resulted in changes for the standard atomic weights of 11 elements. Many atomic weights are not constants of nature, but depend upon the physical, chemical, and nuclear history of the material. The standard atomic weights of 10 elements having two or more stable isotopes have been changed to reflect this...
Authors
M.E. Wieser, Tyler Coplen
Caution on the use of liquid nitrogen traps in stable hydrogen isotope-ratio mass spectrometry Caution on the use of liquid nitrogen traps in stable hydrogen isotope-ratio mass spectrometry
An anomalous stable hydrogen isotopic fractionation of 4 ‰ in gaseous hydrogen has been correlated with the process of adding liquid nitrogen (LN2) to top off the dewar of a stainless-steel water trap on a gaseous hydrogen-water platinum equilibration system. Although the cause of this isotopic fractionation is unknown, its effect can be mitigated by (1) increasing the capacity of any...
Authors
Tyler Coplen, Haiping Qi
Correction for the 17O interference in δ(13C) measurements when analyzing CO2 with stable isotope mass spectrometry Correction for the 17O interference in δ(13C) measurements when analyzing CO2 with stable isotope mass spectrometry
Measurements of δ(13C) determined on CO2 with an isotope-ratio mass spectrometer (IRMS) must be corrected for the amount of 17O in the CO2. For data consistency, this must be done using identical methods by different laboratories. This report aims at unifying data treatment for CO2 IRMS by proposing (i) a unified set of numerical values, and (ii) a unified correction algorithm, based on...
Authors
Willi A. Brand, Sergey Assonov, Tyler Coplen
Novel silver tubing method for quantitative introduction of water into high temperature conversion systems for stable hydrogen and oxygen isotopic measurements Novel silver tubing method for quantitative introduction of water into high temperature conversion systems for stable hydrogen and oxygen isotopic measurements
A new method to seal water in silver tubes for use in a TC/EA reduction unit using a semi-automated sealing apparatus can yield reproducibilities (1 standard deviation) of δ2H and &delta18O measurements of 1.0 ‰ and 0.06 ‰, respectively. These silver tubes containing reference waters may be preferred for calibration of H- and O-bearing materials analyzed with a TC/EA reduction unit. The...
Authors
Haiping Qi, Manfred Groning, Tyler Coplen, Bryan Buck, Stanley Mroczkowski, Willi A. Brand, Heike Geilmann, Matthias Gehre
Applying the silver-tube introduction method for thermal conversion elemental analyses and a new δ2H value for NBS 22 oil Applying the silver-tube introduction method for thermal conversion elemental analyses and a new δ2H value for NBS 22 oil
The δ2HVSMOW–SLAP value of total hydrogen of the international measurement standard NBS 22 oil was determined by a new method of sealing water in silver tubes for use in a thermal conversion elemental analysis (TC/EA) reduction unit. The isotopic fractionation of water due to evaporation is virtually non-existent in this silver-tube method. A new value for the δ2HVSMOW–SLAP of NBS 22 oil
Authors
Tyler Coplen, Haiping Qi
Isotope reference materials Isotope reference materials
Measurement of the same isotopically homogeneous sample by any laboratory worldwide should yield the same isotopic composition within analytical uncertainty. International distribution of light element isotopic reference materials by the International Atomic Energy Agency and the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology enable laboratories to achieve this goal.
Authors
Tyler Coplen
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government