A multi-isotope approach for understanding paleo-environments in West Asia

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project Area: Ancient West Asian Civilization as the foundation of all modern civilizations: A counter to the 'Clash of Civilizations' theory.
• Project/Area Number: 24101010
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas (Research in a proposed research area)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Review Section: Humanities and Social Sciences
• Research Institution: University of Tsukuba
• Principal Investigator: MARUOKA Teruyuki 筑波大学, 生命環境系, 准教授 (80400646)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 池端 慶 筑波大学, 生命環境系, 助教 (70622017)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): Shibata Tomo 京都大学, 大学院・理学研究科, 准教授 (80446369) ; Agematsu Sachiko 筑波大学, 生命環境系, 准教授 (50466661)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-06-28 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 同位体 / 質量分析 / 環境変動解析

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Paleoenvironmental signals can be withdrawn from isotopic compositions of archeological materials, such as bones and teeth of animals and humans. In this project, we aim to establish multi-isotope approach for such materials. A high temperature furnace system was newly installed for a He continuous flow isotope ratio mass spectrometer (CF-IR-MS) for the analysis of oxygen stable isotope compositions in solid samples, especially those of phosphate, sulfate and carbonate, whose isotope compositions are currently difficult to determine. We discusses the following catastrophic events as the triggers that can induce the catastrophic environmental perturbations; (a) massive volcanism, (b) impact of extraterrestrial material, and (c) variation of cosmic ray flux. We aim to establish stable isotope studies to infer such trigger events that may affect human migrations and civilizations.

Free Research Field

同位体地球化学