Definition
Strontium (Sr) isotopes are widely applied tracers in geoscientific applications. One of the four stable isotopes (87Sr) is subject to long-term radiogenic ingrowth by radioactive decay of rubidium (87Rb). Resultant isotope variations in 87Sr/86Sr, but also other stable isotope variations, can be employed to trace mixing of global reservoirs, ranging from high-temperature-pressure processes preserved in solid rock to low-temperature, environmental conditions in surface waters, oceans, chemical sediments, or biogeochemistry. A second, frequent application is the dating of rock-forming processes using the Rb-Sr decay scheme, ranging in age from the infant stages of the solar system to most recent geologic events.
Introduction to Rb-Sr Systematics
Rb-Sr systematics are based on the radioactive decay of the isotope 87Rb (that today accounts for ~27% of all rubidium) to 87Sr (~9% of all strontium) by beta decay with a half-life of approximately 49 billion years, corresponding to...
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Nebel, O., Stammeier, J.A. (2018). Strontium Isotopes. In: White, W.M. (eds) Encyclopedia of Geochemistry. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-39312-4_137
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