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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Filter Total Items: 153
Comprehensive inter-laboratory calibration of reference materials for δ18O versus VSMOW using various on-line high-temperature conversion techniques Comprehensive inter-laboratory calibration of reference materials for δ18O versus VSMOW using various on-line high-temperature conversion techniques
Internationally distributed organic and inorganic oxygen isotopic reference materials have been calibrated by six laboratories carrying out more than 5300 measurements using a variety of high-temperature conversion techniques (HTC) in an evaluation sponsored by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC). To aid in the calibration of these reference materials, which...
Authors
Willi A. Brand, Tyler B. Coplen, Anita T. Aerts-Bijma, John Karl Bohlke, Matthias Gehre, Heike Geilmann, Manfred Groning, Henk G. Jansen, Harro A. J. Meijer, Stanley J. Mroczkowski, Haiping Qi, Karin Soergel, Hilary Stuart-Williams, Stephan M. Weise, Roland A. Werner
The stable isotope amount effect: New insights from NEXRAD echo tops, Luquillo Mountains, Puerto Rico The stable isotope amount effect: New insights from NEXRAD echo tops, Luquillo Mountains, Puerto Rico
The stable isotope amount effect has often been invoked to explain patterns of isotopic composition of rainfall in the tropics. This paper describes a new approach, correlating the isotopic composition of precipitation with cloud height and atmospheric temperature using NEXRAD radar echo tops, which are a measure of the maximum altitude of rainfall within the clouds. The seasonal...
Authors
Martha A. Scholl, James B. Shanley, Jan Paul Zegarra, Tyler B. Coplen
Quality assurance and quality control in light stable isotope laboratories: A case study of Rio Grande, Texas, water samples Quality assurance and quality control in light stable isotope laboratories: A case study of Rio Grande, Texas, water samples
New isotope laboratories can achieve the goal of reporting the same isotopic composition within analytical uncertainty for the same material analysed decades apart by (1) writing their own acceptance testing procedures and putting them into their mass spectrometric or laser-based isotope-ratio equipment procurement contract, (2) requiring a manufacturer to demonstrate acceptable...
Authors
T.B. Coplen, H. Qi
Determination of the delta(18O/16O)of Water: RSIL Lab Code 489 Determination of the delta(18O/16O)of Water: RSIL Lab Code 489
The purpose of the technique described by the Reston Stable Isotope Laboratory (RSIL) lab code 489 is to present a method to determine the delta(180/160), abbreviated as delta-180, of water. This delta-18O measurement of water also is a component of National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL in USGS) schedules 1142 and 1172. Water samples are loaded into glass sample containers on a vacuum...
Authors
Kinga Revesz, Tyler Coplen
Determination of the delta(2H/1H)of Water: RSIL Lab Code 1574 Determination of the delta(2H/1H)of Water: RSIL Lab Code 1574
Reston Stable Isotope Laboratory (RSIL) lab code 1574 describes a method used to determine the relative hydrogen isotope-ratio delta(2H,1H), abbreviated hereafter as d2H of water. The d2H measurement of water also is a component of the National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL) schedules 1142 and 1172. The water is collected unfiltered in a 60-mL glass bottle and capped with a Polyseal cap...
Authors
Kinga Revesz, Tyler B. Coplen
Extreme changes in stable hydrogen isotopes and precipitation characteristics in a landfalling Pacific storm Extreme changes in stable hydrogen isotopes and precipitation characteristics in a landfalling Pacific storm
With a new automated precipitation collector we measured a remarkable decrease of 51??? in the hydrogen isotope ratio (?? 2H) of precipitation over a 60-minute period during the landfall of an extratropical cyclone along the California coast on 21 March 2005. The rapid drop in ??2H occurred as precipitation generation transitioned from a shallow to a much deeper cloud layer, in accord...
Authors
T.B. Coplen, P.J. Neiman, A.B. White, J.M. Landwehr, F.M. Ralph, M. D. Dettinger
Determination of the δ15N of nitrate in water; RSIL lab code 2899 Determination of the δ15N of nitrate in water; RSIL lab code 2899
The purpose of the Reston Stable Isotope Laboratory (RSIL) lab code 2899 is to determine the δ15N of nitrate (NO3-) in water. The δ15N of the dissolved NO3- is analyzed by conversion of the NO3- to nitrous oxide (N2O), which serves as the analyte for mass spectrometry. A culture of denitrifying bacteria is used in the enzymatic conversion of the NO3- to N2O, which follows the pathway...
Authors
Tyler B. Coplen, Haiping Qi, Kinga Revesz, Karen Casciotti, Janet E. Hannon
Determination of the δ15N of nitrate in solids; RSIL lab code 2894 Determination of the δ15N of nitrate in solids; RSIL lab code 2894
The purpose of the Reston Stable Isotope Laboratory (RSIL) lab code 2894 is to determine the δ15N of nitrate (NO3-) in solids. The nitrate fraction of the nitrogen species is dissolved by water (called leaching) and can be analyzed by the bacterial method covered in RSIL lab code 2899. After leaching, the δ15N of the dissolved NO3- is analyzed by conversion of the NO3- to nitrous oxide...
Authors
Tyler B. Coplen, Haiping Qi, Kinga Revesz, Karen Casciotti, Janet E. Hannon
Determination of the δ15N and δ18O of nitrate in water; RSIL lab code 2900 Determination of the δ15N and δ18O of nitrate in water; RSIL lab code 2900
The purpose of the Reston Stable Isotope Laboratory (RSIL) lab code 2900 is to determine the δ15N and δ18O of nitrate (NO3-) in water. The δ15N and δ18O of the dissolved NO3- are analyzed by converting the NO3- to nitrous oxide (N2O), which serves as the analyte for mass spectrometry. A culture of denitrifying bacteria is used in the enzymatic conversion of the NO3- to N2O, which follows...
Authors
Tyler B. Coplen, Haiping Qi, Kinga Revesz, Karen Casciotti, Janet E. Hannon
Determination of the δ15N and δ18O of nitrate in solids; RSIL lab code 2897 Determination of the δ15N and δ18O of nitrate in solids; RSIL lab code 2897
The purpose of the Reston Stable Isotope Laboratory (RSIL) lab code 2897 is to determine the δ15N and δ18O of nitrate (NO3-) in solids. The NO3- fraction of the nitrogen species is dissolved by water (called leaching) and can be analyzed by the bacterial method covered in RSIL lab code 2900. After leaching, the δ15N and δ18O of the dissolved NO3- is analyzed by conversion of the NO3- to...
Authors
Tyler B. Coplen, Haiping Qi, Kinga Revesz, Karen Casciotti, Janet E. Hannon
Calibration of the calcite-water oxygen-isotope geothermometer at Devils Hole, Nevada, a natural laboratory Calibration of the calcite-water oxygen-isotope geothermometer at Devils Hole, Nevada, a natural laboratory
The ??18O of ground water (-13.54 ?? 0.05 ???) and inorganically precipitated Holocene vein calcite (+14.56 ?? 0.03 ???) from Devils Hole cave #2 in southcentral Nevada yield an oxygen isotopic fractionation factor between calcite and water at 33.7 ??C of 1.02849 ?? 0.00013 (1000 ln ??calcite-water = 28.09 ?? 0.13). Using the commonly accepted value of ???(??calcite-water)/???T of -0...
Authors
T.B. Coplen
Determination of the δ34S of sulfate in water; RSIL lab code 1951 Determination of the δ34S of sulfate in water; RSIL lab code 1951
The purpose of the Reston Stable Isotope Laboratory (RSIL) lab code 1951 is to determine the δ(34S/32S), abbreviated as δ34S, of dissolved sulfate. Dissolved sulfate is collected in the field and precipitated with BaCl2 at pH 3 to 4 as BaSO4 in the laboratory. However, the dissolved organic sulfur (DOS) is oxidized to SO2, and the carbonate is acidified to CO2. Both are degassed from the...
Authors
Kinga Revesz, Haiping Qi, Tyler B. Coplen
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 18
No Result Found
Filter Total Items: 153
Comprehensive inter-laboratory calibration of reference materials for δ18O versus VSMOW using various on-line high-temperature conversion techniques Comprehensive inter-laboratory calibration of reference materials for δ18O versus VSMOW using various on-line high-temperature conversion techniques
Internationally distributed organic and inorganic oxygen isotopic reference materials have been calibrated by six laboratories carrying out more than 5300 measurements using a variety of high-temperature conversion techniques (HTC) in an evaluation sponsored by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC). To aid in the calibration of these reference materials, which...
Authors
Willi A. Brand, Tyler B. Coplen, Anita T. Aerts-Bijma, John Karl Bohlke, Matthias Gehre, Heike Geilmann, Manfred Groning, Henk G. Jansen, Harro A. J. Meijer, Stanley J. Mroczkowski, Haiping Qi, Karin Soergel, Hilary Stuart-Williams, Stephan M. Weise, Roland A. Werner
The stable isotope amount effect: New insights from NEXRAD echo tops, Luquillo Mountains, Puerto Rico The stable isotope amount effect: New insights from NEXRAD echo tops, Luquillo Mountains, Puerto Rico
The stable isotope amount effect has often been invoked to explain patterns of isotopic composition of rainfall in the tropics. This paper describes a new approach, correlating the isotopic composition of precipitation with cloud height and atmospheric temperature using NEXRAD radar echo tops, which are a measure of the maximum altitude of rainfall within the clouds. The seasonal...
Authors
Martha A. Scholl, James B. Shanley, Jan Paul Zegarra, Tyler B. Coplen
Quality assurance and quality control in light stable isotope laboratories: A case study of Rio Grande, Texas, water samples Quality assurance and quality control in light stable isotope laboratories: A case study of Rio Grande, Texas, water samples
New isotope laboratories can achieve the goal of reporting the same isotopic composition within analytical uncertainty for the same material analysed decades apart by (1) writing their own acceptance testing procedures and putting them into their mass spectrometric or laser-based isotope-ratio equipment procurement contract, (2) requiring a manufacturer to demonstrate acceptable...
Authors
T.B. Coplen, H. Qi
Determination of the delta(18O/16O)of Water: RSIL Lab Code 489 Determination of the delta(18O/16O)of Water: RSIL Lab Code 489
The purpose of the technique described by the Reston Stable Isotope Laboratory (RSIL) lab code 489 is to present a method to determine the delta(180/160), abbreviated as delta-180, of water. This delta-18O measurement of water also is a component of National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL in USGS) schedules 1142 and 1172. Water samples are loaded into glass sample containers on a vacuum...
Authors
Kinga Revesz, Tyler Coplen
Determination of the delta(2H/1H)of Water: RSIL Lab Code 1574 Determination of the delta(2H/1H)of Water: RSIL Lab Code 1574
Reston Stable Isotope Laboratory (RSIL) lab code 1574 describes a method used to determine the relative hydrogen isotope-ratio delta(2H,1H), abbreviated hereafter as d2H of water. The d2H measurement of water also is a component of the National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL) schedules 1142 and 1172. The water is collected unfiltered in a 60-mL glass bottle and capped with a Polyseal cap...
Authors
Kinga Revesz, Tyler B. Coplen
Extreme changes in stable hydrogen isotopes and precipitation characteristics in a landfalling Pacific storm Extreme changes in stable hydrogen isotopes and precipitation characteristics in a landfalling Pacific storm
With a new automated precipitation collector we measured a remarkable decrease of 51??? in the hydrogen isotope ratio (?? 2H) of precipitation over a 60-minute period during the landfall of an extratropical cyclone along the California coast on 21 March 2005. The rapid drop in ??2H occurred as precipitation generation transitioned from a shallow to a much deeper cloud layer, in accord...
Authors
T.B. Coplen, P.J. Neiman, A.B. White, J.M. Landwehr, F.M. Ralph, M. D. Dettinger
Determination of the δ15N of nitrate in water; RSIL lab code 2899 Determination of the δ15N of nitrate in water; RSIL lab code 2899
The purpose of the Reston Stable Isotope Laboratory (RSIL) lab code 2899 is to determine the δ15N of nitrate (NO3-) in water. The δ15N of the dissolved NO3- is analyzed by conversion of the NO3- to nitrous oxide (N2O), which serves as the analyte for mass spectrometry. A culture of denitrifying bacteria is used in the enzymatic conversion of the NO3- to N2O, which follows the pathway...
Authors
Tyler B. Coplen, Haiping Qi, Kinga Revesz, Karen Casciotti, Janet E. Hannon
Determination of the δ15N of nitrate in solids; RSIL lab code 2894 Determination of the δ15N of nitrate in solids; RSIL lab code 2894
The purpose of the Reston Stable Isotope Laboratory (RSIL) lab code 2894 is to determine the δ15N of nitrate (NO3-) in solids. The nitrate fraction of the nitrogen species is dissolved by water (called leaching) and can be analyzed by the bacterial method covered in RSIL lab code 2899. After leaching, the δ15N of the dissolved NO3- is analyzed by conversion of the NO3- to nitrous oxide...
Authors
Tyler B. Coplen, Haiping Qi, Kinga Revesz, Karen Casciotti, Janet E. Hannon
Determination of the δ15N and δ18O of nitrate in water; RSIL lab code 2900 Determination of the δ15N and δ18O of nitrate in water; RSIL lab code 2900
The purpose of the Reston Stable Isotope Laboratory (RSIL) lab code 2900 is to determine the δ15N and δ18O of nitrate (NO3-) in water. The δ15N and δ18O of the dissolved NO3- are analyzed by converting the NO3- to nitrous oxide (N2O), which serves as the analyte for mass spectrometry. A culture of denitrifying bacteria is used in the enzymatic conversion of the NO3- to N2O, which follows...
Authors
Tyler B. Coplen, Haiping Qi, Kinga Revesz, Karen Casciotti, Janet E. Hannon
Determination of the δ15N and δ18O of nitrate in solids; RSIL lab code 2897 Determination of the δ15N and δ18O of nitrate in solids; RSIL lab code 2897
The purpose of the Reston Stable Isotope Laboratory (RSIL) lab code 2897 is to determine the δ15N and δ18O of nitrate (NO3-) in solids. The NO3- fraction of the nitrogen species is dissolved by water (called leaching) and can be analyzed by the bacterial method covered in RSIL lab code 2900. After leaching, the δ15N and δ18O of the dissolved NO3- is analyzed by conversion of the NO3- to...
Authors
Tyler B. Coplen, Haiping Qi, Kinga Revesz, Karen Casciotti, Janet E. Hannon
Calibration of the calcite-water oxygen-isotope geothermometer at Devils Hole, Nevada, a natural laboratory Calibration of the calcite-water oxygen-isotope geothermometer at Devils Hole, Nevada, a natural laboratory
The ??18O of ground water (-13.54 ?? 0.05 ???) and inorganically precipitated Holocene vein calcite (+14.56 ?? 0.03 ???) from Devils Hole cave #2 in southcentral Nevada yield an oxygen isotopic fractionation factor between calcite and water at 33.7 ??C of 1.02849 ?? 0.00013 (1000 ln ??calcite-water = 28.09 ?? 0.13). Using the commonly accepted value of ???(??calcite-water)/???T of -0...
Authors
T.B. Coplen
Determination of the δ34S of sulfate in water; RSIL lab code 1951 Determination of the δ34S of sulfate in water; RSIL lab code 1951
The purpose of the Reston Stable Isotope Laboratory (RSIL) lab code 1951 is to determine the δ(34S/32S), abbreviated as δ34S, of dissolved sulfate. Dissolved sulfate is collected in the field and precipitated with BaCl2 at pH 3 to 4 as BaSO4 in the laboratory. However, the dissolved organic sulfur (DOS) is oxidized to SO2, and the carbonate is acidified to CO2. Both are degassed from the...
Authors
Kinga Revesz, Haiping Qi, Tyler B. 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