Stable isotope geochemistry of karst systems

Stable isotopes, especially the traditional ones (of lighter elements such as C, H, O, N and S), have been used as powerful tools to study sources and processes in various natural systems. They have also been applied to the study of karst systems, mainly as tracers of karst groundwater and as environmental proxies in speleothems and in groundwater. Some of the best terrestrial paleoclimate records were obtained based on the stable isotope composition of cave speleothems. Recently, stable isotopes have been used also in speleogenetic studies, especially in relation to hypogene karst systems, to understand better the sources of gases or the speleogenetic processes (e.g., sulfur and oxygen stable isotopes in sulfuric acid caves or carbon and oxygen stable isotopes in hydrothermal caves). In cases where the morphological evidence is ambiguous to determine the origin of a cave system, stable isotopes can provide much clearer picture (e.g., stable isotope alterations in cave walls). The oxygen isotope thermometer, combining the oxygen isotope composition of carbonate minerals and their fluid inclusions, has been successfully applied to karst systems as well. Recent developments in clumped isotope thermometry offer even further possibilities for more direct temperature reconstructions, as well as simultaneous reconstruction of the stable isotope composition of paleowaters. Similarly, novel analytical developments allow application of some non-traditional stable isotope ratios (e.g., stable isotopes of Ca, Mg, Sr), that can provide some independent environmental proxies in speleothems, or further insight in speleogenetic processes. The course aims to provide a stable isotope perspective of the karst systems, mainly as a tool to better understand the evolution of the karst systems, or to obtain environmental information from speleothems.
During the course, the students will become familiar with the systematics of stable isotopes in karst systems, as well as their potential, and limits, in the study of various aspects of karst systems. They will get better understanding of the usage of stable isotopes in speleogenetic or speleothem-based paleoclimate research.

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Introduction to stable isotope geochemistry.
Stable isotopes and the karst systems.
Sampling approaches and analytical methods.
Stable isotope thermometry (oxygen isotope thermometer, clumped isotope thermometer).
Application of stable isotopes to sulfuric acid speleogenesis.
Application of stable isotopes to hydrothermal caves.
Application of stable isotopes to speleothem-based paleoclimate studies.
Novel developments in stable isotope geochemistry and application to karst systems.

The course offers an insight in the application of stable isotopes to the study of karst systems. The student will gain a basic understanding of the analytical methods used in stable isotope measurements and their associated uncertainties. The student will gain deeper understanding of the stable isotope systematics of karst systems, and their potential (and limits) to be used as tools to understand different karst processes. The student will be able to evaluate results and use stable isotopes to understand environmental changes recorded in speleothems, as well as processes related to hypogene speleogenesis.

• Criss, R.E., 1999. Principles of Stable Isotope Distribution, Oxford University Press.
• Sharp, Z., 2017. Principles of Stable Isotope Geochemistry, 2nd edition. https://doi.org/10.25844/h9q1-0p82 E-version
• Hoefs, J., 2018. Stable Isotope Geochemistry, 8th edition, Springer. E-version
• Clark, I., 2015. Groundwater Geochemistry and Isotopes, Taylor and Francis Group.
• Fairchild, I.J., Baker, A., 2012. Speleothem Science: From Process to Past Environments, Wiley-Blackwell, Chichester Catalogue E-version
• Fairchild, I.J., Smith, C.L., Baker, A., Fuller, L., Spötl, C., Mattey, D., McDermott, F., 2006. Modification and preservation of environmental signals in speleothems. Earth-Science Reviews 75, 105–153. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2005.08.003 E-version
• Bottrell, S. H., Crowley, S. & Self, C., 2001. Invasion of a karst aquifer by hydrothermal fluids: Evidence from stable isotopic compositions of cave mineralization. Geofluids 1, 103–121. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1468-8123.2001.00008.x E-version
• Onac, B.P., Wynn, J.G., Sumrall, J.B., 2011. Tracing the sources of cave sulfates: a unique case from Cerna Valley, Romania. Chem. Geol., 288, 105–114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2011.07.006. E-version
• Spötl, C., Dublyansky, Y., Koltai, G., Honiat, C., Plan, L., Angerer, T. 2021. Stable isotope imprint of hypogene speleogenesis: Lessons from Austrian caves. Chem. Geol. 572, 120209. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2021.120209 E-version
• Lecture notes and materials provided by the lecturer.

Oral examination (70%), where student demonstrates knowledge and understanding of the topics given at lectures. Prerequisite for taking the examination is a written report (5-10 pages) on a particular topic based on a literature search, individual or group work (30 %).

Docent krasoslovja / Assistant Professor in Karstology
Bibliografija / Bibliography:

1. https://m2.mtmt.hu/api/publication?format=html&labelLang=eng&sort=publishedYear,desc&cond=authors;eq;10058416
2. Temovski M., Rinyu L., Futó I., Molnár K., Túri M., Demény A., Otoničar B., Dublyansky Y., Audra P., Polyak V., Asmerom Y., Palcsu L. (2022): Combined use of conventional and clumped carbonate stable isotopes to identify hydrothermal isotopic alteration in cave walls. Scientific Reports 12, 9202. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-12929-4
3. Palcsu L., Gessert A., Túri M., Kovács A., Futó I., Orsovszki J., Puskás-Preszner A., Temovski M., Koltai G. (2021): Long-term time series of environmental tracers reveal recharge and discharge conditions in shallow karst aquifers in Hungary and Slovakia. Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies, 36, 100858, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrh.2021.100858.
4. Temovski M., Túri M., Futó I., Braun M., Molnár M., Palcsu L. (2021): Multi-method geochemical characterization of groundwater from a hypogene karst system Hydrogeology Journal, 29, 1129–1152 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-020-02293-w
5. Regattieri E., Isola I., Zanchetta G., Tognarelli A., Hellstrom J.C., Drysdale R.N., Boschi C., Milevski I., Temovski M. (2019). Middle Holocene climate variability from a stalagmite from Alilica Cave (Southern Balkans). Alpine and Mediterranean Quaternary, 32 (1), 1-16, https://doi.org/10.26382/AMQ.2019.02
6. Temovski M., Futó I., Túri M., Palcsu L. (2018): Sulfur and oxygen isotopes in the gypsum deposits of the Provalata sulfuric acid cave (Macedonia). Geomorphology, 315, 80-90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2018.05.010