Delta O18 Paleotemperature Calculator

Apply explicit caller local delta-18O reference/slope paleotemperature calibration; no universal isotope thermometer, age inference or correction for source/season/elevation changes.

Description

An isotope paleotemperature estimate depends on site-specific reference and slope.

An isotope paleotemperature estimate depends on site-specific reference and slope. Source, season and elevation can alter the relationship.^[1]

Enter finite isotope/reference/temperature values and finite nonzero per-mille/°C slope. Return anomaly and calibrated °C; signed slopes are allowed.

When to use Delta O18 Paleotemperature Calculator

Use Delta O18 Paleotemperature Calculator when you need to evaluate the supplied records under the calculation and evidence rules below. No universal isotope thermometer, age or environmental-confound correction is supplied.

Prepare the observed ice, snow, water or geometry measurements and explicit calibration parameters requested. Keep coordinates, datum, density and time units consistent.

How to use Delta O18 Paleotemperature Calculator and understand its results

Prepare the observed ice, snow, water or geometry measurements and explicit calibration parameters requested. Keep coordinates, datum, density and time units consistent.
Enter deltaO18Permil, referenceDeltaO18Permil, referenceTemperatureC, callerCalibrationPermilPerC using the field table and calculation rules, then run the tool.
Read calibratedPaleotemperatureC, isotopeTemperatureAnomalyC. The explanation below defines the units, signs, ordering and any flags or placeholder values.
If the tool reports an input issue, correct the values and run it again. Apply the stated assumptions when interpreting a successfully returned result.

Input field	Meaning	Value type; see rules below	Requirement
deltaO18Permil	Delta o18 permil	number	Required
referenceDeltaO18Permil	Reference delta o18 permil	number	Required
referenceTemperatureC	Reference temperature c	number	Required
callerCalibrationPermilPerC	Caller calibration permil per c	number	Required

Enter finite isotope/reference/temperature values and finite nonzero per-mille/°C slope. Return anomaly and calibrated °C; signed slopes are allowed.

anomaly=(observedδ18O−referenceδ18O)/slope; temperature=referenceT+anomaly

Units, indexing, boundary conditions and exceptional cases are defined in the calculation rules above.

Output field	Meaning	Value type
calibratedPaleotemperatureC	Calibrated paleotemperature c	number
isotopeTemperatureAnomalyC	Isotope temperature anomaly c	number

json

{
  "input": {
    "deltaO18Permil": -30,
    "referenceDeltaO18Permil": -35,
    "referenceTemperatureC": -20,
    "callerCalibrationPermilPerC": 0.5
  },
  "output": {
    "calibratedPaleotemperatureC": -10,
    "isotopeTemperatureAnomalyC": 10
  }
}

Limitations and assumptions

No universal isotope thermometer, age or environmental-confound correction is supplied.

Numeric inputs, where present, must be finite. Follow the calculation-specific rules for overflow, underflow and exceptional cases. Missing required fields, extra fields, wrong value types and violations of the calculation rules are input errors.

Alternative or Complementary methods

Use Rate Factor Arrhenius Temperature Calculator: A single-regime Arrhenius model scales a reference ice rate factor with temperature. Regime and pressure applicability are external assumptions. For a complementary task, use Close Off Age Lock In Depth Calculator: Layer mass and steady accumulation can estimate ice residence age at supplied firn depths. Ice age differs from trapped-gas age.

References

Delta O18 Paleotemperature Calculator — tool.io

Similar or alternative tools

Rate Factor Arrhenius Temperature Calculator
A single-regime Arrhenius model scales a reference ice rate factor with temperature. Regime and pressure applicability are external assumptions.
Close Off Age Lock In Depth Calculator
Layer mass and steady accumulation can estimate ice residence age at supplied firn depths. Ice age differs from trapped-gas age.