Stable Isotope Analysis
Stable Isotope Analysis is a scientific technique used to study the composition of stable isotopes in various materials, such as water, soil, and biological tissues. Isotopes are variants of elements that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons. By measuring the ratios of these isotopes, researchers can gain insights into processes like climate change, food webs, and migration patterns.
This method is widely applied in fields such as geochemistry, ecology, and forensic science. For example, in archaeology, stable isotope analysis can help determine the diets of ancient populations by analyzing the isotopic signatures in human remains.