Schimmelmann Research

Since 1993, my research at Indiana University expanded from paleoceanography of varved sediments to include stable isotope aspects of organic matter in ecology, fossil fuels, and food. Research projects in Vietnam recently focused on paleolimnology, radon isotopes, and atmospheric methane.

For more than 20 years, my laboratory at Indiana University has provided reference materials for stable isotope analyses for the global research community. My coworkers and I sincerely thank our supporters and would like to hear from you if you have questions or suggestions with regard to existing or potential future reference materials. Feedback from endusers helps us maintaining high quality service.

Arndt Schimmelmann joined the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at Indiana University in 1993 and installed a vacuum line capable of processing organic materials off-line, to collect and quantify carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and elemental hydrogen. A couple of years later John M. Hayes and Alex L. Sessions were developing compound-specific hydrogen stable isotope mass-spectrometry at Indiana University and were in need of a few pure n-alkanes with known hydrogen stable isotope ratios.

Our initial supply of pure n-alkanes began the long list of compound-specific and other reference materials that were subsequently shared with external users.

Our reference materials are in use by hundreds of laboratories on all continents except Antarctica.