Mass-independent fractionation of oxygen isotopes during thermal decomposition of carbonates

Nearly all chemical processes fractionate [sup.17]O and [sup.18]O in a mass-dependent way relative to [sup.16]O, a major exception being the formation of ozone from diatomic oxygen in the presence of UV radiation or electrical discharge. Investigation of oxygen three-isotope behavior during thermal decomposition of naturally occurring carbonates of calcium and magnesium in vacuo has revealed that, surprisingly, anomalous isotopic compositions are also generated during this process. High-precision measurements of the attendant three-isotope fractionation line, and consequently the magnitude of the isotopic anomaly ([[DELTA].sup.17]O), demonstrate that the slope of the line is independent of the nature of the carbonate but is controlled by empirical factors relating to the decomposition procedure. For a slope identical to that describing terrestrial silicates and waters (0.5247 [+ or -] 0.0007 at the 95% confidence level), solid oxides formed during carbonate pyrolysis fit a parallel line offset by -0.241 [+ or -] 0.042 [per thousand]. The corresponding [CO.sub.2] is characterized by a positive offset of half this magnitude, confirming the mass-independent nature of the fractionation. Slow, protracted thermolysis produces a fractionation line of shallower slope (0.5198 [+ or -] 0.0007). These findings of a [sub.17]O anomaly being generated from a solid, and solely by thermal means, provide a further challenge to current understanding of the nature of mass-independent isotopic fractionation.