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
Tables and charts for isotope-abundance variations and atomic weights of selected elements: 2016 Tables and charts for isotope-abundance variations and atomic weights of selected elements: 2016
There are 63 chemical elements that have two or more isotopes that are used to determine their standard atomic weights. The isotopic abundances and atomic weights of these elements can vary in normal materials due to physical and chemical fractionation processes (not due to radioactive decay). These variations are well known for 12 elements (hydrogen, lithium, boron, carbon, nitrogen...
A multi-year record of chemical and isotopic composition of water from springs of the Shenandoah National Park, Virginia A multi-year record of chemical and isotopic composition of water from springs of the Shenandoah National Park, Virginia
From 1994 through 2017, the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the National Park Service, Luray, Virginia Station collected and analyzed samples of selected springs, air and unsaturated-zone gases in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia. These data include field measurements of water temperature, specific conductance, concentrations of dissolved oxygen (O2), and pH. Laboratory...
Table of standard atomic weights of the elements 2015 Table of standard atomic weights of the elements 2015
Since 1985, the Commission on Isotopic Abundances and Atomic Weights of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) has disseminated value pairs of standard atomic weight and an associated uncertainty for elements, such that it can claim at a high level of confidence that any element in question in all known normal materials will have an atomic weight that will not...
Tables supporting improved EA-Cr_HTC hydrogen-isotope technique for halogen- and S-bearing organic compounds Tables supporting improved EA-Cr_HTC hydrogen-isotope technique for halogen- and S-bearing organic compounds
Accurate hydrogen isotopic analysis of halogen- and sulfur-bearing organics has not been possible with traditional high-temperature conversion (HTC) because the formation of hydrogen-bearing reaction products other than molecular hydrogen (H2) is responsible for non-quantitative H2-yields and possible hydrogen isotopic fractionation. The elemental analyzerchromium/high temperature...
Standard and conventional atomic weights 2016 abridged to four significant digits Standard and conventional atomic weights 2016 abridged to four significant digits
To indicate that atomic weights of many elements are not constants of nature, in 2009 and 2011 the Commission on Isotopic Abundances and Atomic Weights (CIAAW) of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) replaced single-value standard atomic weight values with atomic weight intervals for 12 elements (hydrogen, lithium, boron, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, magnesium...
Four-place table of standard atomic weight values of hydrogen through uranium compared since 1961 Four-place table of standard atomic weight values of hydrogen through uranium compared since 1961
Four-figure standard atomic weights of the chemical elements are shown for 1961, 1975, 1983, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, and the current value for 2016. Values between 1975 and 2015 are only shown when there is a change in value with respect to the previous column.
Filter Total Items: 153
Dual clumped isotope thermometry resolves kinetic biases in carbonate formation temperatures Dual clumped isotope thermometry resolves kinetic biases in carbonate formation temperatures
Surface temperature is a fundamental parameter of Earth’s climate. Its evolution through time is commonly reconstructed using the oxygen isotope and the clumped isotope compositions of carbonate archives. However, reaction kinetics involved in the precipitation of carbonates can introduce inaccuracies in the derived temperatures. Here, we show that dual clumped isotope analyses, i.e...
Authors
David Bajnai, Weifu Guo, Christoph Spotl, Tyler B. Coplen, Katharina Methner, Niklas Loffler, Emilija Krsnik, Eberhard Gischler, Maximilian Hansen, Daniela Henkel, Gregory D. Price, Jacek Raddatz, Denis Scholz, Jens Fiebig
Investigation of recent decadal-scale cyclical fluctuations in salinity in the lower Colorado river Investigation of recent decadal-scale cyclical fluctuations in salinity in the lower Colorado river
Beginning in the late 1970s, 10- to 15-year cyclical oscillations in salinity were observed at lower Colorado River monitoring sites, moving upstream from the international border with Mexico, above Imperial Dam, below Hoover Dam, and at Lees Ferry. The cause of these cyclical trends in salinity was unknown. These salinity cycles complicate the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation's (Reclamation)
Authors
Fred D. Tillman, Alissa L. Coes, David W. Anning, Jon P. Mason, Tyler B. Coplen
Most Earth-surface calcites precipitate out of isotopic equilibrium Most Earth-surface calcites precipitate out of isotopic equilibrium
Oxygen-isotope thermometry played a critical role in the rise of modern geochemistry and remains extensively used in (bio-)geoscience. Its theoretical foundations rest on the assumption that 18O/16O partitioning among water and carbonate minerals primarily reflects thermodynamic equilibrium. However, after decades of research, there is no consensus on the true equilibrium 18O/16O...
Authors
Mathieu Daeron, Russell N Drysdale, Marion Peral, Damien Huyghe, Dominique Blamart, Tyler B. Coplen, Franck Lartaud, Giovanni Zanchetta
Erratum to: Isotope-abundance variations and atomic weights of selected elements: 2016 (IUPAC Technical Report) Erratum to: Isotope-abundance variations and atomic weights of selected elements: 2016 (IUPAC Technical Report)
No abstract available.
Authors
Tyler B. Coplen, Yesha Shrestha
Isotopes matter Isotopes matter
Two years ago, the King’s Centre for Visualization in Science (KCVS) at The King’s University, Edmonton released a new digital interactive version of the IUPAC Periodic Table of the Elements and Isotopes with accompanying educational resources at an International Conference on Chemistry Education. It can be found at www.isotopesmatter.com. The effort was part of an IUPAC project. The...
Authors
Norman E. Holden, Tyler B. Coplen, Peter Mahaffy
IUPAC Periodic Table of the Elements and Isotopes (IPTEI) for the education community (IUPAC Technical Report) IUPAC Periodic Table of the Elements and Isotopes (IPTEI) for the education community (IUPAC Technical Report)
The IUPAC (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry) Periodic Table of the Elements and Isotopes (IPTEI) was created to familiarize students, teachers, and non-professionals with the existence and importance of isotopes of the chemical elements. The IPTEI is modeled on the familiar Periodic Table of the Chemical Elements. The IPTEI is intended to hang on the walls of chemistry
Authors
Norman E. Holden, Tyler B. Coplen, J.K. Bohlke, Lauren V. Tarbox, Jacqueline Benefield, John R. de Laeter, Peter G. Mahaffy, Glenda O’Connor nee Singleton, Etienne Roth, Dorothy Tepper, Thomas Walczyk, Michael E. Wieser, Shigekazu Yoneda
Seeking excellence: An evaluation of 235 international laboratories conducting water isotope analyses by isotope-ratio and laser-absorption spectrometry Seeking excellence: An evaluation of 235 international laboratories conducting water isotope analyses by isotope-ratio and laser-absorption spectrometry
Rationale Water stable isotope ratios (δ2H and δ18O values) are widely used tracers in environmental studies; hence, accurate and precise assays are required for providing sound scientific information. We tested the analytical performance of 235 international laboratories conducting water isotope analyses using dual-inlet and continuous-flow isotope ratio mass spectrometers and laser...
Authors
Leonard I. Wassenaar, S. Terzer-Wassmuth, C. Douence, L. Araguas-Araguas, P. K. Aggarwal, Tyler B. Coplen
Clarification of the term “normal material” used for standard atomic weights (IUPAC Technical Report) Clarification of the term “normal material” used for standard atomic weights (IUPAC Technical Report)
The standard atomic weights of the elements apply to normal materials. Since 1984, the Commission on Isotopic Abundances and Atomic Weights (Commission) has defined a normal material as: “The material is a reasonably possible source for this element or its compounds in commerce, for industry or science; the material is not itself studied for some extraordinary anomaly and its isotopic...
Authors
Tyler B. Coplen, Norman E. Holden, Michael E. Wieser, J.K. Bohlke
Preliminary assessment of stable nitrogen and oxygen isotopic composition of USGS51 and USGS52 nitrous oxide reference gases and perspectives on calibration needs Preliminary assessment of stable nitrogen and oxygen isotopic composition of USGS51 and USGS52 nitrous oxide reference gases and perspectives on calibration needs
Rationale Despite a long history and growing interest in isotopic analyses of N2O, there is a lack of isotopically characterized N2O isotopic reference materials (standards) to enable normalization and reporting of isotope‐delta values. Here we report the isotopic characterization of two pure N2O gas reference materials, USGS51 and USGS52, which are now available for laboratory...
Authors
Nathaniel E. Ostrom, Hasand Gandhi, Tyler B. Coplen, Sakae Toyoda, J.K. Bohlke, Willi A. Brand, Karen L. Casciotti, Jens Dyckmans, Anette Giesemann, Joachim Mohn, Reinhard Well, Longfei Yu, Naohiro Yoshida
New biotite and muscovite isotopic reference materials, USGS57 and USGS58, for δ2H measurements–A replacement for NBS 30 New biotite and muscovite isotopic reference materials, USGS57 and USGS58, for δ2H measurements–A replacement for NBS 30
The advent of continuous-flow isotope-ratio mass spectrometry (CF-IRMS) coupled with a high temperature conversion (HTC) system enabled faster, more cost effective, and more precise δ2H analysis of hydrogen-bearing solids. Accurate hydrogen isotopic analysis by on-line or off-line techniques requires appropriate isotopic reference materials (RMs). A strategy of two-point calibrations...
Authors
Haiping Qi, Tyler B. Coplen, Matthias Gehre, Torsten W. Vennemann, Willi A. Brand, Heike Geilmann, Gerard Olack, Ilya N. Bindeman, Jim Palandri, Li Huang, Fred J. Longstaffe
Clarifying atomic weights: A 2016 four-figure table of standard and conventional atomic weights Clarifying atomic weights: A 2016 four-figure table of standard and conventional atomic weights
To indicate that atomic weights of many elements are not constants of nature, in 2009 and 2011 the Commission on Isotopic Abundances and Atomic Weights (CIAAW) of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) replaced single-value standard atomic weight values with atomic weight intervals for 12 elements (hydrogen, lithium, boron, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, magnesium...
Authors
Tyler B. Coplen, Fabienne Meyers, Norman E. Holden
Optimization of on-line hydrogen stable isotope ratio measurements of halogen- and sulfur-bearing organic compounds using elemental analyzer–chromium/high-temperature conversion isotope ratio mass spectrometry (EA-Cr/HTC-IRMS) Optimization of on-line hydrogen stable isotope ratio measurements of halogen- and sulfur-bearing organic compounds using elemental analyzer–chromium/high-temperature conversion isotope ratio mass spectrometry (EA-Cr/HTC-IRMS)
Rationale: Accurate hydrogen isotopic analysis of halogen- and sulfur-bearing organics has not been possible with traditional high-temperature conversion (HTC) because the formation of hydrogen-bearing reaction products other than molecular hydrogen (H2) is responsible for non-quantitative H2 yields and possible hydrogen isotopic fractionation. Our previously introduced, new chromium...
Authors
Matthias Gehre, Julian Renpenning, Heike Geilmann, Haiping Qi, Tyler B. Coplen, Steffen Kummel, Natalija Ivdra, Willi A. Brand, Arndt Schimmelmann
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 18
Tables and charts for isotope-abundance variations and atomic weights of selected elements: 2016 Tables and charts for isotope-abundance variations and atomic weights of selected elements: 2016
There are 63 chemical elements that have two or more isotopes that are used to determine their standard atomic weights. The isotopic abundances and atomic weights of these elements can vary in normal materials due to physical and chemical fractionation processes (not due to radioactive decay). These variations are well known for 12 elements (hydrogen, lithium, boron, carbon, nitrogen...
A multi-year record of chemical and isotopic composition of water from springs of the Shenandoah National Park, Virginia A multi-year record of chemical and isotopic composition of water from springs of the Shenandoah National Park, Virginia
From 1994 through 2017, the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the National Park Service, Luray, Virginia Station collected and analyzed samples of selected springs, air and unsaturated-zone gases in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia. These data include field measurements of water temperature, specific conductance, concentrations of dissolved oxygen (O2), and pH. Laboratory...
Table of standard atomic weights of the elements 2015 Table of standard atomic weights of the elements 2015
Since 1985, the Commission on Isotopic Abundances and Atomic Weights of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) has disseminated value pairs of standard atomic weight and an associated uncertainty for elements, such that it can claim at a high level of confidence that any element in question in all known normal materials will have an atomic weight that will not...
Tables supporting improved EA-Cr_HTC hydrogen-isotope technique for halogen- and S-bearing organic compounds Tables supporting improved EA-Cr_HTC hydrogen-isotope technique for halogen- and S-bearing organic compounds
Accurate hydrogen isotopic analysis of halogen- and sulfur-bearing organics has not been possible with traditional high-temperature conversion (HTC) because the formation of hydrogen-bearing reaction products other than molecular hydrogen (H2) is responsible for non-quantitative H2-yields and possible hydrogen isotopic fractionation. The elemental analyzerchromium/high temperature...
Standard and conventional atomic weights 2016 abridged to four significant digits Standard and conventional atomic weights 2016 abridged to four significant digits
To indicate that atomic weights of many elements are not constants of nature, in 2009 and 2011 the Commission on Isotopic Abundances and Atomic Weights (CIAAW) of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) replaced single-value standard atomic weight values with atomic weight intervals for 12 elements (hydrogen, lithium, boron, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, magnesium...
Four-place table of standard atomic weight values of hydrogen through uranium compared since 1961 Four-place table of standard atomic weight values of hydrogen through uranium compared since 1961
Four-figure standard atomic weights of the chemical elements are shown for 1961, 1975, 1983, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, and the current value for 2016. Values between 1975 and 2015 are only shown when there is a change in value with respect to the previous column.
Filter Total Items: 153
Dual clumped isotope thermometry resolves kinetic biases in carbonate formation temperatures Dual clumped isotope thermometry resolves kinetic biases in carbonate formation temperatures
Surface temperature is a fundamental parameter of Earth’s climate. Its evolution through time is commonly reconstructed using the oxygen isotope and the clumped isotope compositions of carbonate archives. However, reaction kinetics involved in the precipitation of carbonates can introduce inaccuracies in the derived temperatures. Here, we show that dual clumped isotope analyses, i.e...
Authors
David Bajnai, Weifu Guo, Christoph Spotl, Tyler B. Coplen, Katharina Methner, Niklas Loffler, Emilija Krsnik, Eberhard Gischler, Maximilian Hansen, Daniela Henkel, Gregory D. Price, Jacek Raddatz, Denis Scholz, Jens Fiebig
Investigation of recent decadal-scale cyclical fluctuations in salinity in the lower Colorado river Investigation of recent decadal-scale cyclical fluctuations in salinity in the lower Colorado river
Beginning in the late 1970s, 10- to 15-year cyclical oscillations in salinity were observed at lower Colorado River monitoring sites, moving upstream from the international border with Mexico, above Imperial Dam, below Hoover Dam, and at Lees Ferry. The cause of these cyclical trends in salinity was unknown. These salinity cycles complicate the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation's (Reclamation)
Authors
Fred D. Tillman, Alissa L. Coes, David W. Anning, Jon P. Mason, Tyler B. Coplen
Most Earth-surface calcites precipitate out of isotopic equilibrium Most Earth-surface calcites precipitate out of isotopic equilibrium
Oxygen-isotope thermometry played a critical role in the rise of modern geochemistry and remains extensively used in (bio-)geoscience. Its theoretical foundations rest on the assumption that 18O/16O partitioning among water and carbonate minerals primarily reflects thermodynamic equilibrium. However, after decades of research, there is no consensus on the true equilibrium 18O/16O...
Authors
Mathieu Daeron, Russell N Drysdale, Marion Peral, Damien Huyghe, Dominique Blamart, Tyler B. Coplen, Franck Lartaud, Giovanni Zanchetta
Erratum to: Isotope-abundance variations and atomic weights of selected elements: 2016 (IUPAC Technical Report) Erratum to: Isotope-abundance variations and atomic weights of selected elements: 2016 (IUPAC Technical Report)
No abstract available.
Authors
Tyler B. Coplen, Yesha Shrestha
Isotopes matter Isotopes matter
Two years ago, the King’s Centre for Visualization in Science (KCVS) at The King’s University, Edmonton released a new digital interactive version of the IUPAC Periodic Table of the Elements and Isotopes with accompanying educational resources at an International Conference on Chemistry Education. It can be found at www.isotopesmatter.com. The effort was part of an IUPAC project. The...
Authors
Norman E. Holden, Tyler B. Coplen, Peter Mahaffy
IUPAC Periodic Table of the Elements and Isotopes (IPTEI) for the education community (IUPAC Technical Report) IUPAC Periodic Table of the Elements and Isotopes (IPTEI) for the education community (IUPAC Technical Report)
The IUPAC (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry) Periodic Table of the Elements and Isotopes (IPTEI) was created to familiarize students, teachers, and non-professionals with the existence and importance of isotopes of the chemical elements. The IPTEI is modeled on the familiar Periodic Table of the Chemical Elements. The IPTEI is intended to hang on the walls of chemistry
Authors
Norman E. Holden, Tyler B. Coplen, J.K. Bohlke, Lauren V. Tarbox, Jacqueline Benefield, John R. de Laeter, Peter G. Mahaffy, Glenda O’Connor nee Singleton, Etienne Roth, Dorothy Tepper, Thomas Walczyk, Michael E. Wieser, Shigekazu Yoneda
Seeking excellence: An evaluation of 235 international laboratories conducting water isotope analyses by isotope-ratio and laser-absorption spectrometry Seeking excellence: An evaluation of 235 international laboratories conducting water isotope analyses by isotope-ratio and laser-absorption spectrometry
Rationale Water stable isotope ratios (δ2H and δ18O values) are widely used tracers in environmental studies; hence, accurate and precise assays are required for providing sound scientific information. We tested the analytical performance of 235 international laboratories conducting water isotope analyses using dual-inlet and continuous-flow isotope ratio mass spectrometers and laser...
Authors
Leonard I. Wassenaar, S. Terzer-Wassmuth, C. Douence, L. Araguas-Araguas, P. K. Aggarwal, Tyler B. Coplen
Clarification of the term “normal material” used for standard atomic weights (IUPAC Technical Report) Clarification of the term “normal material” used for standard atomic weights (IUPAC Technical Report)
The standard atomic weights of the elements apply to normal materials. Since 1984, the Commission on Isotopic Abundances and Atomic Weights (Commission) has defined a normal material as: “The material is a reasonably possible source for this element or its compounds in commerce, for industry or science; the material is not itself studied for some extraordinary anomaly and its isotopic...
Authors
Tyler B. Coplen, Norman E. Holden, Michael E. Wieser, J.K. Bohlke
Preliminary assessment of stable nitrogen and oxygen isotopic composition of USGS51 and USGS52 nitrous oxide reference gases and perspectives on calibration needs Preliminary assessment of stable nitrogen and oxygen isotopic composition of USGS51 and USGS52 nitrous oxide reference gases and perspectives on calibration needs
Rationale Despite a long history and growing interest in isotopic analyses of N2O, there is a lack of isotopically characterized N2O isotopic reference materials (standards) to enable normalization and reporting of isotope‐delta values. Here we report the isotopic characterization of two pure N2O gas reference materials, USGS51 and USGS52, which are now available for laboratory...
Authors
Nathaniel E. Ostrom, Hasand Gandhi, Tyler B. Coplen, Sakae Toyoda, J.K. Bohlke, Willi A. Brand, Karen L. Casciotti, Jens Dyckmans, Anette Giesemann, Joachim Mohn, Reinhard Well, Longfei Yu, Naohiro Yoshida
New biotite and muscovite isotopic reference materials, USGS57 and USGS58, for δ2H measurements–A replacement for NBS 30 New biotite and muscovite isotopic reference materials, USGS57 and USGS58, for δ2H measurements–A replacement for NBS 30
The advent of continuous-flow isotope-ratio mass spectrometry (CF-IRMS) coupled with a high temperature conversion (HTC) system enabled faster, more cost effective, and more precise δ2H analysis of hydrogen-bearing solids. Accurate hydrogen isotopic analysis by on-line or off-line techniques requires appropriate isotopic reference materials (RMs). A strategy of two-point calibrations...
Authors
Haiping Qi, Tyler B. Coplen, Matthias Gehre, Torsten W. Vennemann, Willi A. Brand, Heike Geilmann, Gerard Olack, Ilya N. Bindeman, Jim Palandri, Li Huang, Fred J. Longstaffe
Clarifying atomic weights: A 2016 four-figure table of standard and conventional atomic weights Clarifying atomic weights: A 2016 four-figure table of standard and conventional atomic weights
To indicate that atomic weights of many elements are not constants of nature, in 2009 and 2011 the Commission on Isotopic Abundances and Atomic Weights (CIAAW) of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) replaced single-value standard atomic weight values with atomic weight intervals for 12 elements (hydrogen, lithium, boron, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, magnesium...
Authors
Tyler B. Coplen, Fabienne Meyers, Norman E. Holden
Optimization of on-line hydrogen stable isotope ratio measurements of halogen- and sulfur-bearing organic compounds using elemental analyzer–chromium/high-temperature conversion isotope ratio mass spectrometry (EA-Cr/HTC-IRMS) Optimization of on-line hydrogen stable isotope ratio measurements of halogen- and sulfur-bearing organic compounds using elemental analyzer–chromium/high-temperature conversion isotope ratio mass spectrometry (EA-Cr/HTC-IRMS)
Rationale: Accurate hydrogen isotopic analysis of halogen- and sulfur-bearing organics has not been possible with traditional high-temperature conversion (HTC) because the formation of hydrogen-bearing reaction products other than molecular hydrogen (H2) is responsible for non-quantitative H2 yields and possible hydrogen isotopic fractionation. Our previously introduced, new chromium...
Authors
Matthias Gehre, Julian Renpenning, Heike Geilmann, Haiping Qi, Tyler B. Coplen, Steffen Kummel, Natalija Ivdra, Willi A. Brand, Arndt Schimmelmann
*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