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Magnetic isotope effects have been recently discovered in living nature. They were observed for the first time in experiments on cells enriched with various magnesium isotopes, magnetic 25Mg or non-magnetic ones. A catalytic effect of the magnetic isotope of magnesium was discovered in experiments with myosin, the most important biomolecular motor utilizing the energy of ATP to perform mechanical work. The rate of ATP hydrolysis with the magnetic 25Mg isotope is 2.0–2.5 times higher than that obtained with nonmagnetic 24Mg or 26Mg. A similar effect of the nuclear spin catalysis was experimentally observed for zinc isotopes. The rate of ATP hydrolysis in the case of magnetic 67Zn increased by 40–50% as compared to that observed experimentally for nonmagnetic isotopes (64Zn or 68Zn). Catalytic effects of the magnetic isotope of magnesium were also experimentally found for H+-ATPase isolated from yeast mitochondria and ATPase of the plasma membrane of the myometrium. The magnetic isotope effect indicates unambiguously that the chemomechanical processes involve a limiting step catalyzed by biomolecular motors, which depends on the electronic spin state, and that this step is accelerated in the presence of nuclear spin of the magnetic isotope.

Nuclear structure of 29-34Mg isotopes toward neutron dripline have been investigated using shell model with Skyrme-Hartree–Fock calculations. In particular nuclear densities for proton, neutron, mass and charge densities with their corresponding rms radii, neutron skin thicknesses and inelastic electron scattering form factors are calculated for positive low-lying states. The deduced results are discussed for the transverse form factor and compared with the available experimental data. It has been confirmed that the combining shell model with Hartree-Fock mean field method with Skyrme interaction can accommodate very well the nuclear excitation properties and can reach a highly descriptive and predictive power when investigating different nuclear configurations of stable and unstable nuclei.

Magnesium (Mg) isotopes fractionate during rock/mineral weathering and leaching, secondary mineral neoformation, adsorption/desorption, and plant-related Mg recycling, but the mechanisms and extent of fractionation are not well understood. Here, we report the fate of Mg and its isotopes during basalt weathering and soil development in the Hawaiian Islands by sampling soils of varying age (0.3, 20, 150, 1400, and 4100 ka) in undisturbed humid rainforests. Magnesium concentrations in bulk soils are variable with depth and age, ranging from 0.07 to 8.79 wt.%, and significant Mg depletions (up to 99%) relative to parent basalts are visible after 20 ka. Bulk soils display a large age-dependent range of δ26Mg values ranging from −0.60 to +0.26‰. A sequential leaching scheme showed that labile Mg is depleted whereas residual Mg is enriched in isotopically heavy Mg. The two youngest soils (0.3 ka) display δ26Mg value similar to basalt for both labile or residual Mg, indicating either that basalt weathering causes little Mg isotope fractionation or that δ26Mg value is overwhelmed by the primary minerals during 0.3 ka. However, in the older soils (≥20 ka), the δ26Mg values of both labile and residual Mg vary non-linearly as a function of time, with an increase in the difference between them. These variations are explained by both plant-related Mg recycling and progressive mineral transformations, evolving from short-range-order (SRO) minerals (allophane and ferrihydrite) to more crystalline products (goethite, gibbsite and kaolin minerals). Indeed, plant-related Mg recycling causes the enrichment of light Mg isotopes in the labile Mg, while secondary phases incorporate more and more heavy Mg isotopes with time. These results reconcile experimental and field studies and highlight a weathering control of Mg isotopes delivered to the oceans.

Magnesium isotopic analysis of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is a potentially interesting approach for studies on neurodegeneration. However, this type of analysis is challenging because of the invasiveness of the sampling and small sample volume. In this work, a novel analytical method was developed for ultrasensitive Mg isotopic analysis of CSF microsamples via multicollector inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS) using high-gain 1013 Ω Faraday cup amplifiers. The intermediate and internal errors on the δ26Mg value were improved up to fourfold using 1013 Ω resistors for the monitoring of both the 24Mg and 26Mg isotopes and up to twofold using a 1011 Ω resistor for the most abundant 24Mg isotope and a 1013 Ω resistor for the 26Mg isotope. Magnesium isotope ratios measured at a concentration level of 7-10 μg L-1 were in good agreement with those obtained using the conventional method at a concentration level of 150 μg L-1. The expanded uncertainty for the quality control CSF material obtained at the ultratrace level was ±0.16‰. Ultrasensitive Mg isotopic analysis was carried out for CSF from hydrocephalus patients using only 5 μL of sample. δMg values thus obtained were not significantly different from those obtained using the conventional method using a sample volume of 400 μL instead (p ≤ 0.05). The Mg isotopic composition of the CSF from hydrocephalus patients ranged between -0.65 and 0.30‰, with a mean δ26Mg value of -0.14 ± 0.27‰.

Recent studies have uncovered the potential of Mg isotopes (δ26Mg) for studying past ocean chemistry, but records of such data are still scarce. Dolomite has been suggested as a promising archive for δ26Mg of seawater. However, its enigmatic formation mechanism and the difficulty in precipitating dolomite in the laboratory at surface temperatures decrease confidence in the interpretation of δ26Mg values from the rock record. To evaluate factors determining the δ26Mg of dolomite, we studied pore water and sediment from Dohat Faishakh Sabkha, Qatar—one of the rare environments where dolomite is currently forming. The δ26Mg values of the dolomite (−2.56‰ to −1.46‰) are lower than that of seawater (−0.83‰), whereas δ26Mg values of pore water (−0.71‰ to −0.14‰) are higher. The isotope fractionation accompanying dolomite formation is generally in accordance with an empirical fractionation from the literature, extrapolated to the sabkha’s temperature (−1.84‰ to −1.51‰). The results suggest that evaporated seawater is the sole source of Mg, and isotopically light dolomite is the major sink, so that the δ26Mg of the dolomite-forming pore water is equal to or greater than that of seawater. Thus, provided that the lowest δ26Mg value among several dolomite samples is used, and the formation temperature is known, similar sabkha-type dolomites can be utilized as an archive for δ26Mg values of ancient seawater.

Magnesium (Mg) isotopes in carbonate minerals are a useful proxy for paleoclimate studies, but interpretations are often limited by an inadequate understanding of the various factors controlling Mg isotopic fractionation during carbonate formation. Previous work has studied a number of parameters including aqueous chemistry, mineralogy, temperature, and precipitation rate. However, little is known about the impact of solid/solution ratio, calcite growth mechanism, and crystal morphology on isotope fractionation. In this work, two groups of seeded chemo-stat calcite precipitation experiments were conducted at 25 °C to explore the potential impact of crystal growth and morphology on the fractionation of Mg isotopes. Group-1 experiments (G1) contained nine individual runs that were performed under identical physicochemical conditions, except for solid/solution ratio and the length of an experiment. The isotope fractionation between precipitated calcite and aqueous solution is limited, with ΔMg ranging from −2.58 to −2.40‰ and an average of −2.49 ± 0.12‰ (2SD, n = 9). The Group-2 experiments (G2) contained 3 paired runs with solution Mg/Ca molar ratios of 0.5, 2.0, and 5.0, and yielded ΔMg values that ranged from −2.69 to −2.36‰ with an average of −2.62 ± 0.25‰ (2SD, n = 6). The average ΔMg value for both sets of experiments is −2.54 ± 0.22‰ (2SD, n = 15), and it is independent of precipitation rate, solution Mg/Ca molar ratio, solid/solution ratio, amount of overgrowth, and mol% Mg content in overgrowth. The form and texture of the calcite overgrowths in our experiments range from {104} rhombohedra with smooth crystal faces containing few macrosteps to {104} rhombohedra containing extensive evidence for 2-D nucleation on crystal faces, to more steeply sided rhombohedra {0kl}. While significant changes in crystal morphology are related to solid/solution ratio and solution composition in the G1 and G2 experiments, respectively, there was no difference in Mg isotope systematics, suggesting that crystal morphology does not affect the Mg isotopic composition of calcite within the range of features investigated and 2-D nucleation may be less affected by calcite growth kinetics than a spiral growth mechanism. Integrating our results with previous published values, an equilibrium isotopic fractionation factor of −2.47 ± 0.09‰ (weighted average ± weighted 2SD, n = 70) between calcite and aqueous solutions is derived at room temperature., We thank Sylvia Riechelmann and one anonymous reviewer for their insightful and critical comments, which significantly improved the manuscript. The careful and efficient editorial handing by AE Adrian Immenhauser is greatly appreciated. We would also like to thank Bing-Yu Lee for assistance on sample processing and column chemistry for Mg isotope analyses, Heng-Ci Tian, Yan Hu, and Mingzhu Liu for discussion and constructive comments, Jon Tonner for assistance on PHREEQC, and the Quantachrome’s Material Characterization Laboratory for providing surface area analyses of calcite seed material. This work was financially supported by National Science Foundation EAR-1747706, NASA Astrobiology Institute grant NNA13AA94A, the Summer Research Fellowship program through the Office of Undergraduate Research at Furman University, the Spanish Government FEDER projects CGL2016-75679-P and CGL2016-79458-P, and the Dutch Research Council (NWO) Origins Center project 190438131.

Continental crust loses Mg by lower crustal foundering and chemical weathering to become its intermediate-silicic composition. Both processes should preferentially retain heavy Mg isotopes in the crust, yet the estimated Mg isotopic ratio for the bulk continental crust is indistinguishable from that for unmodified mantle. This can be elucidated by two notions that are not mutually exclusive: (i) the basaltic parent to the crust has Mg isotopes lighter than the mantle and has since become mantle-like as a result of Mg loss by igneous and weathering fractionation, and (ii) heavy Mg isotopes in the continental crust are constantly balanced by a hidden input of light Mg isotopes. Arc magmas are arguably building blocks of the continental crust and their Mg isotopic signature could be used to place limits on the above views. Here, we conducted a Mg isotopic study of the Makran arc, a rare continental arc in Iran within the Alpine-Himalayan orogenic belt. The measured Mg isotopic ratios for most mafic and intermediate samples are mantle-like with δ26Mg values ranging from −0.32‰ to −0.20‰. After excluding dubious samples affected by alteration, the silicic samples span a broad range of isotopic ratios with δ26Mg values ranging from −0.32‰ to +0.32‰, beyond that of unmodified mantle (δ26Mg = −0.25 ± 0.04‰). The isotopic data form a trend from mantle-like δ26Mg at relatively high MgO towards elevated δ26Mg at low MgO, requiring the isotopic variability be related to differentiation in an open system involving assimilation of high-δ26Mg crustal rocks. Our results are generally consistent with Mg isotopic data compiled for global arcs where magmas have Mg isotopic ratios ranging from mantle-like to ∼0.7 per mil above the mantle range, and compositions substantially below that range are rare. Thus, heavy Mg isotopes in the continents predicted by igneous and weathering fractionation might have been compensated by a hidden input of light Mg isotopes, which is presumably in the form of carbonates, leading to a bulk crustal Mg isotopic composition that is mantle-like.

This study reports that substantial chemical weathering occurs at subzero temperatures in ice-and-salt-rich permafrost in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica. Chemical weathering is documented in a 30.0-m core collected in Beacon Valley by measuring the ionic composition, pH, and Mg isotopes of water extracted from thawed ice-rich sediment. Evidence of rock weathering is revealed by coinciding increases in the Mg isotopic composition and pH values. The primary factor that controls weathering is the salt content that leads to unfrozen brine; this is most apparent in the upper 7.0 m where salt content is high, temperatures rise above −21 °C and modeled unfrozen water reaches up to 4.0% of ice-content. In the upper 7.0 m, up to 60% of soluble Mg in the thawed permafrost ice is sourced from Ferrar Dolerite (δ26Mg = −0.22 ± 0.07‰) weathering, resulting in δ26Mg values ranging from of −0.82 ± 0.05‰ to −0.64 ± 0.05‰. Below 7.0 m, temperatures remain below −21 °C, unfrozen water is less than 2.0% of ice-content, and on average, 5% of soluble Mg is sourced from dolerite weathering with δ26Mg values ranging from −1.05 ± 0.05‰ to −0.76 ± 0.05‰. Regions of the core that are modeled to have no unfrozen water show little or no evidence of chemical weathering and relatively constant δ26Mg values close to Taylor Glacier and Beacon Valley snowfall values (–0.93 ± 0.06‰). This study demonstrates that significant chemical weathering occurs at subzero temperatures in permafrost where liquid brines form.

The effects of different magnesium and zinc isotopes on the enzyme activity of myosin subfragment-1 have been explored. The rate of the enzymatic ATP hydrolysis in reaction media enriched with the magnetic isotope, 25Mg, is twice as high as it is in reaction media enriched with the nonmagnetic isotopes, 24Mg or 26Mg. A similar effect of nuclear spin catalysis has been detected in the experiments with zinc isotopes as cofactors of the enzyme. The rate of the enzymatic ATP hydrolysis with magnetic 67Zn increases by 40–50% compared to that with nonmagnetic 64Zn or 68Zn. The magnetic-isotope effects have been observed at the physiological concentration of magnesium and zinc chlorides (5 mM). The catalytic effect of the magnetic magnesium isotope 25Mg has been revealed in the experiments with Mg-dependent ATPase of myometrial plasma membranes. The magnetic-isotope effects indicate that there is a spin-selective rate-limiting step in the chemo-mechanical process driven by the “molecular motor” due to the energy of ATP hydrolysis and that nuclear spin catalysis causes acceleration of this stage. Some possible mechanisms of the nuclear spin catalysis are discussed.

The performance of multi-collector secondary ion mass spectrometry (MC-SIMS) for Mg isotope ratio analysis was evaluated using 17 olivine and 5 pyroxene reference materials (RMs). The Mg isotope composition of these RMs was accurately and precisely determined by multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS), and these measured isotope ratios were used to evaluate SIMS instrumental mass bias as a function of the forsterite (Fo) content of olivine. The magnitude of the Mg isotope matrix effects were ~3‰ in δ(25)Mg, and are a complex function of olivine Fo content, that ranged from Fo(59.3) to Fo(100). In addition to these Mg isotope matrix effects, Si(+) ion yields and Mg(+)/Si(+) ion ratios varied as a complex function of the Fo content of the olivine RMs. For example, Si(+) ion yields varied by ~33%. Based on the observations, we propose instrumental bias correction procedures for SIMS Mg isotope analysis of olivine using a combination of Mg(+)/Si(+) ratios and Fo content of olivine. Using this correction method, the accuracy of δ(25)Mg analyses is 0.3‰, except for analysis of olivine with Fo(86-88) where instrumental biases and Mg(+)/Si(+) ratios change dramatically with Fo content, making it more difficult to assess the accuracy of Mg isotope ratio measurements by SIMS over this narrow range of Fo content. Five pyroxene RMs (3 orthopyroxenes and 2 clinopyroxenes) show smaller ranges of instrumental bias (~1.4‰ in δ(25)Mg) as compared to the olivine RMs. The instrumental bias for the 3 orthopyroxene RMs do not define a linear relationship with respect to enstatite (En) content, that ranged from En(85.5 −96.3). The clinopyroxene RMs have similar En and wollastonite (Wo) contents but have δ(25)Mg values that differ by 0.5‰ relative to their δ(25)Mg values determined by MC-ICP-MS. These results indicate that additional factors (e.g., minor element abundances) likely contribute to SIMS instrumental mass fractionation. In order to better correct for these SIMS matrix effects, additional pyroxene RMs with various chemical compositions and known Mg isotope ratios are needed.

We have prepared a large volume of pure, concentrated and homogeneous magnesium standard solution (GSB-Mg) to be used as a secondary reference standard by the magnesium isotope community. This new standard solution can also be used for quality assurance, including the development and validation of analytical procedures, preparation and test of analytical methods, quality control and training of analysts. The δ26Mg values relative to DSM3, measured by multiple-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS), are −2.038 ± 0.027‰ (n = 45, Lab 1), −2.024 ± 0.055‰ (n = 7, Lab 2), −2.078 ± 0.081‰ (n = 6, Lab 3), −2.037 ± 0.015‰ (n = 8, Lab 4), and −2.067 ± 0.039‰ (n = 12, Lab 5). The δ26Mg and δ25Mg values for the GSB-Mg standard solution are −2.049‰ and −1.056‰, with a combined expanded (k = 2) uncertainty of 0.049‰ and 0.028‰, respectively. These values show higher similarity to Mg isotopic compositions of carbonates and marine sediments compared to those of the mantle and crustal rocks, making the GSB-Mg solution a great reference material for Mg isotopic analysis of carbonates and marine sediments.

NASA's Genesis Mission returned solar wind (SW) to the Earth for analysis to derive the composition of the solar photosphere from solar material. SW analyses control the precision of the derived solar compositions, but their ultimate accuracy is limited by the theoretical or empirical models of fractionation due to SW formation. Mg isotopes are “ground truth” for these models since, except for CAIs, planetary materials have a uniform Mg isotopic composition (within ≤1‰) so any significant isotopic fractionation of SW Mg is primarily that of SW formation and subsequent acceleration through the corona. This study analyzed Mg isotopes in a bulk SW diamond‐like carbon (DLC) film on silicon collector returned by the Genesis Mission. A novel data reduction technique was required to account for variable ion yield and instrumental mass fractionation (IMF) in the DLC. The resulting SW Mg fractionation relative to the DSM‐3 laboratory standard was (−14.4‰, −30.2‰) ± (4.1‰, 5.5‰), where the uncertainty is 2ơ SE of the data combined with a 2.5‰ (total) error in the IMF determination. Two of the SW fractionation models considered generally agreed with our data. Their possible ramifications are discussed for O isotopes based on the CAI nebular composition of McKeegan et al. (2011).

Laboratory experiments have shown that thermal gradients in silicate melts can lead to isotopic fractionation; this is known as the Richter effect. However, it is perplexing that the Richter effect has not been documented in natural samples as thermal gradients commonly exist within natural igneous systems. To resolve this discrepancy, theoretical analysis and calculations were undertaken. We found that the Richter effect, commonly seen in experiments with wholly molten silicates, cannot be applied to natural systems because natural igneous samples are more likely to be formed out of partially molten magma and the presence of minerals adds complexity to the behaviour of the isotope. In this study, we consider two related diffusion-rate kinetic isotope effects that originate from chemical diffusion, which are absent from experiments with wholly molten samples. We performed detailed calculations for magnesium isotopes, and the results indicated that the Richter effect for magnesium isotopes is buffered by kinetic isotope effects and the total value of magnesium isotope fractionation can be zero or even undetectable. Our study provides a new understanding of isotopic behaviour during the processes of cooling and solidification in natural magmatic systems.

Magnesium is an essential element to aquatic organisms and understanding the origin of Mg is important for understanding their growth. Ultimately, Mg in streams is derived from the chemical weathering of bedrock in the catchment. In this study, we used Mg stable isotope ratios (δ26Mg) to test whether stream organisms reflect lithological sources in stream catchments. In November 2017 and May 2018, we sampled aquatic insects and small gobies from six temperate streams in the Lake Biwa area (central Japan). Three of these streams had up to 38% limestone in their catchment (limestone streams), and three streams lacked limestone (non-limestone streams). We hypothesised that stream organisms from limestone streams had significantly lower δ26Mg values compared to those of the same organisms from non-limestone streams. Aquatic insects from limestone streams had an average of 0.78‰ lower δ26Mg values than those of the same organisms from non-limestone streams, thereby indicating a lithological control on the δ26Mg of aquatic insects. Aquatic insects often showed an offset to higher δ26Mg values compared to those of stream water, thereby pointing to a 26Mg-enriched diet as an additional Mg source to water and/or Mg isotope fractionation during Mg accumulation. Instead, stream water was the main Mg source for small gobies, as their bones reflected the δ26Mg of water. We concluded that δ26Mg could trace Mg sources of aquatic organisms, and the same methodology can be applied to other metals.

We have determined Δ′26MgDSM-3, the mass-independent variations in 26Mg/24Mg, of primitive, bulk meteorites to precisions better than ±3 ppm (2se). Our measurements of samples from 10 different chondrite groups show Δ′26MgDSM-3 that vary from −5 to 22 ppm. Our data define an array with a positive slope in a plot of Δ′26MgDSM-3 against 27Al/24Mg, which can be used to determine (26Al/27Al)0, i.e. initial 26Al/27Al, and (Δ′26MgDSM-3)0, i.e. initial Δ′26MgDSM-3. On such an isochron plot, the best fit of our new measurements combined with literature data implies (26Al/27Al)0 of (4.67±0.78)×10−5 and (Δ′26MgDSM-3)0 of −31.6 ± 5.7 ppm (2se) for ordinary and carbonaceous chondrites, other than CR chondrites, which have anomalously low Δ′26MgDSM-3. These parameters are within uncertainty of those defined by previous measurements of bulk calcium-, aluminium-rich inclusions (CAIs) that set canonical (26Al/27Al)∼05×10−5. The most straightforward interpretation of all these observations is that differences in the Al/Mg of bulk ordinary and carbonaceous chondrites are dominantly controlled by variable contributions of early-formed refractory and major silicate components derived from a common, canonical reservoir. The Δ′26MgDSM-3 of enstatite chondrites are slightly more radiogenic (∼3 ppm) at similar Al/Mg to the ordinary chondrites. We speculate that this is related to the timing of removal of a refractory component from the source reservoirs of these different meteorite groups; the higher Δ′26MgDSM-3 of the enstatite chondrites suggests later (∼0.5 Ma post CAIs) condensation and loss of this refractory component. Despite inferred consistency of (26Al/27Al)0 and (Δ′26MgDSM-3)0 across most chondrite groups, some nebular heterogeneity is required to account for the compositions of CR chondrites. Our preferred interpretation is that the CR source region has lower (Δ′26MgDSM-3)0. As the most appropriate isotopic reference for the Earth, our new mean enstatite chondrite composition allows us to assess possible ingrowth of 26Mg from live 26Al during accretion of the Earth. The Earth has Δ′26MgDSM-3 within uncertainty of enstatite chondrites, despite its higher Al/Mg. This requires that the terrestrial increase in Al/Mg, which we attribute to vapour loss during accretion, must have happened >1.5 Ma post CAI formation, in an instantaneous fractionation model.

Primitive Solar System materials host small amounts of refractory dust grains predating the formation of the Sun and its planetary system. These ‘presolar’ grains condensed in the ejecta of evolved stars, novae and supernovae1. Their highly anomalous isotopic compositions cannot be explained by chemical or physical processes within the Solar System; instead, they represent the nucleosynthetic signatures of their stellar parents. Among this ‘true stardust’, silicates are the most abundant type of dust available for single-grain analyses2, with typical sizes of approximately 150 nm (ref. 3). Unlike presolar silicon carbides, aluminium oxides or graphites, which can be separated chemically from meteorites, presolar silicates have to be identified in situ, as they would be destroyed by extraction agents. Instrumental restrictions have constrained almost all previous magnesium isotopic measurements to presolar aluminium oxides, and the contribution of radiogenic 26Mg from 26Al decay has precluded unambiguous conclusions about their initial magnesium isotopes. Recent technical advances have enabled the undisturbed in situ investigation of magnesium isotopes in presolar silicates with unprecedented spatial resolution ( 200-nm-sized presolar silicates significantly higher than previously inferred1. A minor but important fraction of silicate stardust believed to come from red giant stars is shown to have a supernova origin instead, making the supernova dust fraction among >200-nm-sized presolar silicates significantly higher than previously inferred.

The biofilm formation by bacteria E. coli is a magnetosensitive process. The combined effects of a magnetic magnesium isotope 25Mg and a static magnetic field in the range of 20-35 mT stimulate biofilm formation by bacteria E. coli compared to non-magnetic magnesium isotopes 24,26Mg. Magnetic field effects in the range of 2-10 mT, registered for all bacteria regardless of magnesium-isotope enrichment of nutrient medium, indicate the sensitivity of intracellular processes to weak magnetic fields.

Magnesium is a major divalent cation in the cell and is vital for maintaining cellular function. The magnesium isotopic composition (δ26Mg) of chloropigments potentially provides detailed informati...

Sedimentary dolomite plays an important role in global Mg cycling, and Mg isotopes in massive dolostones may be used to infer secular changes in seawater chemistry through geological history. However, sedimentary dolomite is generally regarded as a diagenetic product, and many details about the effects of early diagenesis on the Mg isotope composition of dolomite remain unclear. The mid-Cretaceous (Albian) Soreq and Givat Ye’arim formations near Jerusalem, Israel, contain exceptionally well-preserved massive dolostones, which provide an ideal opportunity to investigate the Mg isotope responses to early diagenesis. Dolomite samples from this section show large variations in δ13C values and Mn contents that are negatively correlated, reflecting degradation of organic matter and mineralization of organic carbon in the Mn(IV) reduction zone within soft sediment during dolomite formation. This is a rare example of a clear link between Mn(IV) reduction and dolomite precipitation based on geochemical evidence in the rock record. The dolomite samples also exhibit large variations in d(104) values and the degree of cation ordering. The latter is negatively correlated with Sr contents, implying that variable degrees of dolomite recrystallization occurred during diagenesis. δ26Mg values of >50 dolomite samples from this section vary from −2.28‰ to −1.78‰, but do not correlate with indicators of organic matter degradation (δ13C values and Mn contents) or dolomite recrystallization (e.g., Sr contents), suggesting that Mg isotopes behave conservatively after initial dolomite (or proto-dolomite) precipitation during the very early stages of diagenesis. We propose that the Mg isotope composition of dolomite formed due to Mn(IV) reduction is buffered by seawater due to the shallowness of the Mn(IV) reduction zone in platform sediments, which is different from the dolomitization associated with bacterial sulfate reduction or methanogenesis, where Mg supply can be diffusion-limited. Furthermore, Mg isotopes in dolomite are robust to resetting by recrystallization during burial. Magnesium isotope compositions of platform dolomite that show variable and negatively correlated δ13C values and Mn contents can, therefore, be considered robust archives for reconstructing paleo-seawater Mg isotope compositions. The variation in δ26Mg values of the dolostones in the Soreq and Givat Ye’arim formations is interpreted to reflect Rayleigh fractionation in response to dolomitization in a restricted water body. Therefore, the lowest δ26Mg value is considered to be the Mg isotope composition of dolomite that was in equilibrium with coeval seawater in the open ocean, and thus the δ26Mg value of Albian seawater was around −0.4‰.

Collinear laser spectroscopy (CLS) has been performed in a multi-reflection time-of-flight (MR-ToF) device operated in single-pass mode, i.e., without confining the ions in the ion trap. While our Multi Ion Reflection Apparatus for Collinear Laser Spectroscopy (MIRACLS) aims to increase the CLS sensitivity by storing ions in the MR-ToF device, the present work characterises conventional single-passage CLS as a preparatory step for the upcoming comparison with MIRACLS’ multi-pass mode. To this end, the isotope shift in the 3 s 2 S 1 / 2 → 3 p 2 P 3 / 2 transition (D2 line) between ions of the magnesium isotopes 24Mg and 26Mg has been measured under varying experimental conditions. Our result agrees with the precise literature value. Associated studies of systematic uncertainties demonstrate a measurement accuracy of better than 20 MHz in this new apparatus. This value will serve as the reference for analogous studies to be performed in the MIRACLS approach in which ions are trapped in the MR-ToF device for thousands of revolutions and probed by the spectroscopy laser during each passage.

The fractionation of carbon and magnesium isotopes is a potentially useful tracer of natural weathering in ultramafic catchments and engineered CO2 storage. To evaluate the use of carbon and magnesium isotopes as tracers of ultramafic weathering and CO2 storage, we assessed the carbon and magnesium isotope fractionation between hydrous Mg-carbonate minerals and fluid during a mineral phase transformation from nesquehonite [MgCO3·3H2O] to dypingite [Mg5(CO3)4(OH)2· ∼ 5–8H2O], two common products of ultramafic rock weathering. Batch reactor experiments containing nesquehonite were conducted at 5 °C, 25 °C, and 35 °C and the evolution of mineralogical composition, fluid composition, and isotopic composition were tracked over time. At 5 °C, the solid remained nesquehonite throughout the experiments, and isotopic equilibrium did not appear to be achieved between the solid and the fluid phase for either carbon or magnesium. At 25 °C, and 35 °C a transformation from nesquehonite to dypingite occurred by dissolution and re-precipitation, which resulted in extensive exchange of Mg and C between solid and fluid. The phase transformation caused the initial C and Mg isotopic composition of the solid phase to be overwritten. The extensive isotopic exchange during the phase transformation suggests C and Mg isotopes likely obtained approximate isotopic equilibrium between dypingite and fluid. For dypingite, the Δ13Cdyp-DIC was 4.74 ± 0.12‰ (VPDB) and 4.47 ± 0.17‰ (VPDB) at 25 and 35 °C, respectively. The Δ meas 26 M g dyp - f l u i d between solid and the bulk fluid was −0.76‰, and −0.98 ± 0.08‰ for the 25 and 35 °C experiments, respectively. There was no clear impact of temperature on Mg or C isotope fractionation. The calculated Δ calc 26 M g dyp - M g 2 + between dypingite and the Mg2+ aquo species rather than bulk aqueous Mg values were positive. This indicates that if dypingite is formed by the incorporation of the free Mg2+ ion in the solid, the solid is preferentially enriched in the isotope of higher mass (26Mg). This is opposite to anhydrous Mg-bearing carbonate minerals, which tend to be depleted in 26Mg relative to the forming fluid. These data will help improve interpretation of carbon and magnesium isotope compositions measured in natural and engineered ultramafic weathering environments, and may help to trace the fate of anthropogenic CO2 during engineered CO2 storage efforts.

Element incorporation in shell calcite precipitated by foraminifera reflects the chemical and physical properties of the seawater the foraminifera lived in and can therefore be used to reconstruct paleo environmental conditions. One of the most prominent proxies for past seawater temperature is Mg/Ca of foraminiferal calcite. Still, in addition to seawater temperature, also biomineralization processes impact foraminiferal Mg/Ca values. As the impact of biomineralization plays a major role and is not necessarily constant, it is imperative to identify the mechanism by which Mg is incorporated and thereby understand how temperature influences Mg incorporation. Biomineralization is discriminating against Mg to different degrees and hence investigating the fractionation of Mg isotopes at different temperatures and for species with contrasting calcification pathways can be used to better understand the pathway of Mg during biomineralization. Overall, we observe that foraminifera with higher Mg content have δ26Mg values closer to those of seawater. Moreover, controlled temperature culture experiments show that parallel to an increase in Mg/Ca, δ26Mg in the tests of large benthic foraminifer Amphistegina lessonii decreases when sea water temperatures increase. This negative correlation between shell Mg/Ca and δ26Mg suggests a two-step control on the incorporation of Mg during biomineralization. Using a simple model, we can explain both trends as a result of a stable Mg pool, which is only little fractionated with respect to sea water and a temperature dependent Mg pool which shows a higher fractionation with respect to sea water during biomineralization. The stable, not much fractionated pool is relatively large in high Mg foraminifera, whereas for the low Mg foraminifera the transport of Mg over a cell membrane probably results in the observed inverse correlation. Here we present a model using the Mg isotope fractionation we established for A. lessonii to explain the general trends for both high- and low-Mg/Ca foraminifera. A process-based understanding remains crucial a robust interpretation of foraminiferal Mg-isotopes.

International audience; Stable isotope fractionation in magmatic systems depends on equilibrium isotope fractionation between different phases. However, current equilibrium stable isotope theory mostly assumes ideal crystal structures and simple chemical compositions, but it is unclear how the pressure and complex compositional variations in natural microscopic mineral structures affect inter-mineral stable isotope fractionation and thus control stable isotope fractionation in macroscopic magmatic systems. Here, we calculate the Casingle bondO and Mgsingle bondO bond lengths controlled by pressure and compositional variations of coexisting garnet (Grt) and clinopyroxene (Cpx) in the Roberts Victor eclogites from the Kaapvaal Craton and use these data as a proof of concept to interpret their inter-mineral Ca and Mg isotopic compositions (Δ44/40CaGrt-Cpx and Δ26MgGrt-Cpx). Our results show that the Casingle bondO difference between Grt and Cpx (ΔCasingle bondOGrt-Cpx) shows a significant increase with CaO content from 3.4 to 13.6 wt.% in Grt and with pressure from 2.9 to 6.9 GPa. ΔCasingle bondOGrt-Cpx has an excellent negative correlation with inter-mineral Ca isotope fractionation corrected for temperature effect (Δ44/40CaGrt-Cpx × T2/106), indicating that inter-mineral Ca isotope fractionation is controlled by pressure and compositional variations of the Grt through effects on the bond lengths. Inter-mineral Mg isotope fractionation corrected for temperature effect (Δ26MgGrt-Cpx × T2/106) in these eclogites shows a negative correlation with pressure but no obvious correlations with the mineral compositions, suggesting the dominant role of pressure effect in addition to temperature. The Mgsingle bondO bond length of Grt increases by about 0.02 Å with increasing CaO content in Grt of these eclogites, implying a mild compositional effect on inter-mineral Mg isotope fractionation. The results suggest that pressure and compositional variations in minerals control the equilibrium stable isotope fractionation between minerals. Utilizing the Ca isotope fractionation factor controlled by crystal chemistry of garnet, our modelling indicates that partial melting of eclogite in the mantle could not significantly fractionate Ca isotopes and, therefore, that low δ44/40Ca values in previously reported basalts cannot be attributed to the involvement of eclogite in their sources. This suggests that crystal chemistry exerts major controls on isotope fractionation in magmatic systems in addition to temperature.

Two main properties of atomic nuclei-mass and nuclear magnetic moments-are origin of many biological effects. Mass-dependent isotope effects have been studied for a long time. The effect of magnetic isotopes having a magnetic moment and spin was first shown in the early twenty-first century for the magnetic isotope magnesium 25Mg on enzymatic ATP synthesis. This stimulated the search for experimental evidence and theoretical justification of magnetic nuclei influence on biological processes. This review contains the results of scientific research on the magnesium magnetic isotope effects in microbiology. Microorganisms have been found to be sensitive to the presence of nuclear magnetic moment of magnesium isotope 25Mg compared with non-magnetic 24,26Mg isotopes.

Mg isotope measurements details, Supplemental Figures S1 and S2, and Supplemental Tables S1–S4.

Mg isotopes in syndepositional dolomite have been suggested to be a potential proxy for understanding seawater chemistry. However, it is argued that the δ26Mg values of dolomite could be complicated by the effects of early diagenesis and later hydrothermal activities. Further investigations into the behaviors of Mg isotopes in dolomitization systems are needed to resolve this controversy. In the present study, we investigated early Ordovician dolostones from the Tarim Basin, including diagenetically altered dolomites, hydrothermally altered dolomites and well-preserved dolostones that precipitated in the slope, margin and interior of a carbonate platform. Different types of dolomites, bulk dolostone and limestone were sampled by microdrilling for analyses of C-O-Mg isotope compositions and REE concentrations. The dolostone δ13C values match those of coeval seawater, and the REE distribution patterns in the dolostones are comparable with those in the limestones, indicating that the dolostones originated from syndiagenetic dolomitization. The δ26Mg values of the various syndiagenetic dolomites that formed in the slope, margin and interior of the carbonate platform are similar, averaging approximately −2.06‰ ± 0.20‰. No stratigraphic variability in the dolomite Mg isotopes can be discerned, which implies that the Mg isotope compositions of the porewater were homogeneous during massive dolomitization and remained in equilibrium with seawater. Additionally, the δ26Mg values of the altered dolostone do not show correlations with diagenetic and hydrothermal signals, demonstrating that dolomite Mg isotopes are insensitive to postdepositional alteration. Given these facts, we propose that Mg isotopes in dolostones have conservative behaviors during diagenesis and late stage hydrothermal reworking.

This study presents a chemical protocol for the separation of Mg that is particularly adapted for diverse igneous rock samples, especially for high-K and low-Mg rocks. This protocol is based on a combination of three procedures: the removal of K from the samples using the precipitation procedure, followed by the separation of Fe and Ca using 2 mL of AG50W-X12 cation exchange resin, and finally the removal of Al, Ti, Na, and Fe elements using 0.5 mL of AG50W-X12 cation exchange resin. The effect of acidity and concentration mismatch as well as the matrix effect were rigorously evaluated using Nu Plasma II MC-ICP-MS with a wet plasma mode. The δ26Mg mean values of the GSB and Alfa Mg standard solutions are −2.05 ± 0.05‰ (2 standard deviation (2s), n = 106) and −3.91 ± 0.04‰ (2s, n = 51), respectively, which serve as in-house Mg standards in the State Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics (SKLCD). The average δ26Mg value of one multi-elemental Mg standard GSB-1, made by adopting GSB with matrix elements, agrees well with the recommended value after precipitation and chromatographic separation. The long-term reproducibility, assessed by repeated measurements of Mg standard solutions and reference materials (RMs), is ±0.06‰. The robustness of our method is further assessed by the replicated analyses of fifteen rock standards and olivine grains with large variations in MgO and K2O content.

In the shell-model framework, valence-space Hamiltonians connecting multiple major-oscillator shells are of key interest for investigating the physics of neutron-rich nuclei, which have been the subject of intense experimental activity for decades. Here we present an extension of the ab initio valence-space in-medium similarity renormalization group which allows the derivation of such Hamiltonians nonperturbatively. Starting from initial two- and three-nucleon forces from chiral effective field theory, we then calculate properties of nuclei in the important island-of-inversion region above oxygen, so far unexplored with ab initio methods. Our results in the neon and magnesium isotopes indicate the importance of neutron excitation from the $sd$ to $pf$ shells and ground states dominated by intruder configurations around $N=20$, consistent with the conclusions from phenomenological studies. We also benchmark the excitation spectrum of $^{16}$O with coupled-cluster theory, finding generally good agreement, and discuss implications for ground state energies and charge radii in oxygen and calcium isotopes. Finally we outline the proper procedure for treating the long-standing issue of center-of-mass contamination, and show that with a particular choice of valence space, these spurious states can be removed successfully., 11 pages, 9 figures, published version

Relatively few studies have been focused so far on magnesium&ndash, isotope fractionation during plant growth, element uptake from soil, root-to-leaves transport and during chlorophylls biosynthesis. In this work, maize and garden cress were hydroponically grown in identical conditions in order to examine if the carbon fixation pathway (C4, C3, respectively) might have impact on Mg-isotope fractionation in chlorophyll-a. The pigment was purified from plants extracts by preparative reversed phase chromatography, and its identity was confirmed by high-resolution mass spectrometry. The green parts of plants and chlorophyll-a fractions were acid-digested and submitted to ion chromatography coupled through desolvation system to multiple collector inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Clear preference for heavy Mg-isotopes was found in maize green parts (∆26Mgplant-nutrient 0.65, 0.74 for two biological replicates, respectively) and in chlorophyll-a (∆26Mgchlorophyll-plant 1.51, 2.19). In garden cress, heavy isotopes were depleted in green parts (∆26Mgplant-nutrient (&minus, 0.87)&ndash, (&minus, 0.92)) and the preference for heavy isotopes in chlorophyll-a was less marked relative to maize (∆26Mgchlorophyll-plant 0.55&ndash, 0.52). The observed effect might be ascribed to overall higher production of energy in form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), required for carbon fixation in C4 compared to C3, which could reduce kinetic barrier and make equilibrium fractionation prevailing during magnesium incorporation to protoporphyrin ring.

We report high-precision Mg isotopic analyses of different types of lunar samples including two pristine Mg-suite rocks (72415 and 76535), basalts, anorthosites, breccias, mineral separates, and lunar meteorites. The Mg isotopic composition of the dunite 72415 (δ(25)Mg = −0.140 ± 0.010‰, δ(26)Mg = −0.291 ± 0.018‰), the most Mg-rich and possibly the oldest lunar sample, may provide the best estimate of the Mg isotopic composition of the bulk silicate Moon (BSM). This δ(26)Mg value of the Moon is similar to those of the Earth and chondrites and reflects both the relative homogeneity of Mg isotopes in the solar system and the lack of Mg isotope fractionation by the Moon-forming giant impact. In contrast to the behavior of Mg isotopes in terrestrial basalts and mantle rocks, Mg isotopic data on lunar samples show isotopic variations among the basalts and pristine anorthositic rocks reflecting isotopic fractionation during the early lunar magma ocean (LMO) differentiation. Calculated evolutions of δ(26)Mg values during the LMO differentiation are consistent with the observed δ(26)Mg variations in lunar samples, implying that Mg isotope variations in lunar basalts are consistent with their origin by remelting of distinct LMO cumulates.

The Mg isotope compositions of weathering profiles developed on granite and granodiorite bedrock have been analyzed to investigate Mg isotope behavior during the weathering of felsic rocks in a continental environment. δ26Mg generally exhibits a small increase from the bedrock values, which range from −0.17 ± 0.06‰ to +0.07 ± 0.06‰, until the upper two meters in which a decrease is observed, producing near surface values between −0.14 ± 0.06‰ and +0.09 ± 0.06‰. The small observed increase in isotopic composition below 2 m is likely due to Mg loss to the hydrosphere during biotite weathering and in situ illite production, while the decrease at depths

Fluids released from subducting slabs play an important role in mantle metasomatism and arc magmatism. Magnesium could be mobile in subduction-zone fluids and Mg isotopic signatures of melange rocks may provide information on crust-mantle interactions at subduction zones. To investigate the behaviour of Mg isotopes during fluid metasomatism along the slab-mantle interface, we report Mg isotopic compositions of a set of well-characterized samples from the ultramafic blocks in the Franciscan Complex of California. The partially serpentinized and completely serpentinized peridotites have δ26Mg values (from −0.26 to −0.14) clustered around the mantle value, indicating small Mg isotope fractionation during peridotite serpentinization. Samples with serpentine completely replaced by talc have lower MgO contents and heavier Mg isotopic compositions (δ26Mg of −0.13 to −0.01) than serpentinized peridotites, implying that Mg was non-conservative during this metasomatic replacement. The shift toward higher δ26Mg values of talc-dominated metaperidotites reflects the preferential loss of light Mg isotopes into fluids via Rayleigh distillation during the dehydration reactions that produced talc from serpentine. On the other hand, samples with talc completely replaced by tremolite have lighter Mg isotopic compositions (δ26Mg of −0.50 to −0.41) and higher CaO contents than the talc-dominated samples. These features suggest a metasomatic process involving isotopically light carbonate-rich fluids derived from the subducting slab. Collectively, large Mg isotope fractionation occurs during multistage fluid-rock interactions within the Franciscan subduction channel, which provides direct evidence for significant Mg isotopic variation during fluid metasomatism along the slab-mantle interface. This may account for the observed heterogeneous Mg isotopic compositions of arc lavas. Magnesium isotopes thus could be a potentially useful tracer of crust-mantle interactions at subduction zones.

Compared with the numerous studies on river and soil waters, studies on Mg isotopes of groundwater are limited. In this study, a sandstone aquifer in the Ordos Basin, China with contrast contents of Mg in shallow and deep groundwater is selected to examine the behavior of Mg isotopes during groundwater circulation. The δ26Mg values of shallow groundwater are within the range of widely reported results of groundwater, while those of deep groundwater are found to be as light as −3.30‰ to −2.13‰. Assuming that shallow groundwater is an endmember, 87Sr/86Sr ratios show that calcite dissolution has contribution to low δ26Mg of deep groundwater, but mixing alone cannot explain the coupled low δ26Mg and low Mg contents. The removal of Mg in deep groundwater is found to be mainly caused by incorporating into neoformed clay minerals, which further lowers δ26Mg. For the deep groundwater samples denoted as G1 and G3, the relationship between δ26Mg and 1/Mg has been quantitatively explained by the superposition of calcite dissolution and clay formation with a fractionation factor (αclay–water) of 1.0003. For samples denoted as G2, in addition to calcite dissolution and clay formation, high proportion of Mg in the residual solution are further removed via precipitation of low-Mg calcite, which leads to increased δ26Mg. There are increasingly stronger degrees of clay formation in G3, G1, and G2 due to the increasingly longer travel distances and travel times of groundwater from recharge to discharge areas. This study enhances understanding on the factors controlling Mg isotopes of groundwater, as well as the geochemical processes of subsurface water-rock interactions in sandstone aquifers.

Magnesium isotopes in early diagenetic dolomite have been proposed as a potential tracer for seawater chemistry and global Mg cycles. However, the applicability of Mg isotopes of early diagenetic dolomite in studies of ancient seawater requires a detailed understanding of the behavior of Mg isotopes during dolomitization in a variety of geological settings. Hinterland attached carbonate platform is an important sink of seawater Mg through dolomitization, and basin restriction is a common feature in hinterland attached carbonate platforms, yet its effects on Mg isotope systematics in carbonates have not been well documented. The upper Albian Hevyon Formation in southern Israel was deposited in a typical hinterland attached carbonate platform setting and provides an ideal case for investigating the Mg isotope behavior during dolomitization in environments of frequent basin restrictions. The abundance of dolomite increases up-section in the Hevyon Formation and correlates with the appearance of microbial deposits and disappearance of metazoans, reflecting water level fluctuations in multiple exposure and recharging events. In conjunction with sedimentary facies analysis, multiple geochemical proxies (Ni/Co, V/Cr, Ce/Ce∗, and δ13C) indicate the development of anoxic conditions. These two lines of evidence, together with textural indicators and 87Sr/86Sr ratios, suggest dolomitization was microbial and penecontemporaneous in a shallow low circulation water body. δ26Mg of dolomite increases from −1.99 ± 0.12‰ in the lower part of the sequence to a value of −1.52 ± 0.02‰ in the middle interval, then decreases back to −2.06 ± 0.18‰ in the upper unit. Overall, Mg isotope compositions co-vary with δ13C, Mg/Ca ratios, as well as crystal size of dolomite, which implies that variations in δ26Mg value reflect syn-depositional changes in water chemistry as a result of dolomitization in episodically restricted basins. δ26Mg tracks the fluctuating marine connection and provides a powerful tracer for the level of restriction. Furthermore, by pairing Mg isotope variability of the dolomite with a Rayleigh distillation model and elemental mass balance in aqueous solution, it is possible to constrain the Mg/Ca ratio of seawater. Based on the records from the Hevyon Formation, Mg/Ca ratio of seawater during the Albian is constrained between 1.5 and 1, which is consistent with results from other records.

Despite the continuously growing understanding of dolomite over the years, the dolomite problem remains unclear. Lacustrine dolomite found in the Anjihaihe Formation (E3a) on the margin of the southern Junggar Basin provides an opportunity to look into the dolomite formation process in a lacustrine environment. The Anjihaihe dolomite occurs as 10- to 20-cm-thick white-gray layers interbedded with lacustrine dark mudstone and silty mudstone. Based on scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, major and trace elements, and carbon and oxygen isotopes, as well as magnesium isotope analyses, the Anjihaihe dolomite is a syndepositional low-order dolomicrite formed under a reducing environment in a saline lake. Unlike the usual bacterial sulfate reduction and evaporation background of lacustrine dolomite, no bacteria or evaporite evidence is found in this study. Rather, increased Mg concentrations and carboxyl group catalysis may be the main factors that facilitate the dolomitization process. The results of a one-dimensional diffusion-advection-reaction numerical model of the Mg isotopes indicate that the dolomitization time, degree of dolomitization and diffusion in thin dolomite layers have little effect on the Mg isotopes in the Anjihaihe dolomicrite. Under the assumptions that seawater δ26Mg equals −0.82‰ and the fractionation factor is 1.75‰ at 25 °C, seawater as the Mg source for the Anjihaihe dolomicrite would be a plausible explanation and fits well with our other results. This explanation suggests that the contemporaneous adjacent proto-Paratethys might have provided the magnesium ions by episodic transgression and had a paleoenvironmental influence on the northern Tianshan area during the Oligocene.

Magnesium isotopic compositions of evaporite deposits may record information concerning brine evolution during deposition. We report Mg isotopic values (delta Mg-26(DSM3)) measured from an evaporite deposit of langbeinite (K2Mg2(SO4)(3)) found in the Permian Salado Formation. We used these data to model Mg isotope fractionation between langbeinite and its parent brine. In addition, both measured and theoretical results are used to estimate precipitation temperature and interpret depositional environment. The Salado langbeinite delta Mg-26 values are relatively low and fall within a relatively narrow range (-4.12 +/- 0.03 parts per thousand to -3.81 +/- 0.07 parts per thousand). Equilibrium fractionation factors between langbeinite and aqueous Mg2+ solutions were calculated using quantum chemical density functional theory. All computations were performed at the B3LYP/6-31 + G(d,p) level. Solvation effects were addressed using a solvent model ("water-droplet'' approach) and mineral structures were investigated using volume variable cluster models (VVCM). The equilibrium Mg isotopic fractionation factors a between langbeinite and model brine solution we obtained are 1.0005, 1.0004, and 1.0003 (Delta Mg-26(langb-water)approximate to 10(3)ln alpha = 0.473 parts per thousand, 0.390 parts per thousand, and 0.322 parts per thousand) at 10 degrees C, 25 degrees C, and 40 degrees C, respectively. These relatively large equilibrium fractionation factors indicate significant Mg isotope fractionation between langbeinite and its parent brine during precipitation, as langbeinite preferentially incorporates the heavier Mg-26 and Mg-25 isotopes. Rayleigh distillation modeling of the Salado langbeinite's relatively light Mg isotopic composition requires delta Mg-26(DSM3) values of -4 parts per thousand for the parent brine. Models favor a precipitation temperature as high as 40 degrees C under equilibrium conditions. Potential disequilibrium precipitation conditions suggested by Mg isotopic data also imply rapid deposition in a hot, arid sedimentary environment prevailing in the southwestern U.S. during the Late Permian.

Cells and tissues are composed from atoms of chemical elements, some of which have two kinds of stable isotopes, magnetic and nonmagnetic ones. Not long ago, magnetic isotope effects (MIEs) have been discovered in experiments with cells enriched with magnetic or nonmagnetic isotopes of magnesium. These MIEs can stem from higher efficiency of the enzymes of bioenergetics in the cells enriched with magnetic magnesium isotope. In the studies of MIEs in biological systems, it is needed to monitor the ATP concentrations as the major energy source in cells. The most sensitive and rapid method of the ATP measurements is based on the use of the firefly luciferase–luciferin system. Since luciferase is the ATP-dependent enzyme and activated by Mg-ions, it is necessary to elucidate whether this enzyme is sensitive to magnetic field of the magnesium isotope’s nuclear spin. Herein we present the results of studying the effects of different isotopes of magnesium, magnetic 25Mg and nonmagnetic 24Mg and 26Mg, on bioluminescence spectra and enzymatic activity of firefly luciferase. It was shown, that neither kinetics of the bioluminescence signal nor the bioluminescence spectra manifest any statistically significant dependence on the type of magnesium isotope. So, no MIEs have been revealed in the luciferase-catalyzed oxidation of luciferin. It means that firefly luciferase bioluminescence can serve as the tool for search and studies of magnetic isotope effects in ATP-dependent enzyme reactions in biological systems, including the enzymatic synthesis and hydrolysis of ATP.

The first-excited state g factor of 26 Mg has been measured relative to the g factor of the Mg 24 ( 2 1 + ) state using the high-velocity transient-field technique, giving g = + 0.86 ± 0.10 . This new measurement is in strong disagreement with the currently adopted value, but in agreement with the sd -shell model using the USDB interaction. The newly measured g factor, along with E ( 2 1 + ) and B ( E 2 ) systematics, signal the closure of the ν d 5 / 2 subshell at N = 14 . The possibility that precise g -factor measurements may indicate the onset of neutron pf admixtures in first-excited state even–even magnesium isotopes below 32 Mg is discussed and the importance of precise excited-state g -factor measurements on sd shell nuclei with N ≠ Z to test shell-model wavefunctions is noted.

Experimental nuclear structure data from various reactions and decays have been evaluated for all known nuclides of mass 39 (Mg, Al, Si, P, S, Cl, Ar, K, Ca, Sc, Ti). Detailed evaluated nuclear structure information is presented for each reaction and decay and the best values combining all available data are recommended for level energies, half-lives, γ-ray energies and intensities, decay properties (energies, intensities and placement of radiations), and other spectroscopic data. The 39K, 39Ca and 39Ar are the most extensively studied nuclides; no excited states are known in 39Mg and 39Ti. This work supersedes the earlier full evaluation of A=39 by B. Singh and J. Cameron (2006Si02).

Calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions (CAIs) are the oldest dated objects that formed inside the Solar System. Among these are rare, enigmatic objects with large mass-dependent fractionation effects (F CAIs), which sometimes also have large nucleosynthetic anomalies and a low initial abundance of the short-lived radionuclide 26 Al (FUN CAIs). We have studied seven refractory hibonite-rich CAIs and one grossite-rich CAI from the Murchison (CM2) meteorite for their oxygen, calcium, and titanium isotopic compositions. The 26 Al- 26 Mg system was also studied in seven of these CAIs. We found mass-dependent heavy isotope enrichment in all measured elements, but never simultaneously in the same CAI. The data are hard to reconcile with a single-stage melt evaporation origin and may require reintroduction or reequilibration for magnesium, oxygen and titanium after evaporation for some of the studied CAIs. The initial 26 Al/ 27 Al ratios inferred from model isochrons span a range from −6 to canonical (∼5 × 10 −5 ). The CAIs show a mutual exclusivity relationship between inferred incorporation of live 26 Al and the presence of resolvable anomalies in 48 Ca and 50 Ti. Furthermore, a relationship exists between 26 Al incorporation and Δ 17 O in the hibonite-rich CAIs (i.e., 26 Al-free CAIs have resolved variations in Δ 17 O, while CAIs with resolved 26 Mg excesses have Δ 17 O values close to −23‰). Only the grossite-rich CAI has a relatively enhanced Δ 17 O value (∼−17‰) in spite of a near-canonical 26 Al/ 27 Al. We interpret these data as indicating that fractionated hibonite-rich CAIs formed over an extended time period and sampled multiple stages in the isotopic evolution of the solar nebula, including: (1) an 26 Al-poor nebula with large positive and negative anomalies in 48 Ca and 50 Ti and variable Δ 17 O; (2) a stage of 26 Al-admixture, during which anomalies in 48 Ca and 50 Ti had been largely diluted and a Δ 17 O value of ∼−23‰ had been achieved in the CAI formation region; and (3) a nebula with an approximately canonical level of 26 Al and a Δ 17 O value of ∼−23‰ in the CAI formation region.

The basement-hosted Bong uranium deposit in the Kiggavik region is associated with a broad hydrothermal alteration halo characterized by an inner illite-rich zone and an outer chlorite-rich zone. The uranium-bearing zones characterized by intense illite alteration yield high δ56Fe and δ26Mg values relative to the host rocks, with average whole-rock values of δ56Fe = 0.58 ± 0.15‰ and δ26Mg = 0.61 ± 0.29‰, and clay-size fraction values of δ56Fe = 0.51 ± 0.20‰ and δ26Mg = 0.82 ± 0.09‰. These isotopic values correlate with a decrease in average Fe2+ concentrations (0.47 versus 2.30 mol% Fe2+ in least-altered hosts). The high δ26Mg values reflect intense illite alteration, which preferentially incorporated heavier magnesium isotopes during alteration of both the ore zones and an upper hematite-altered horizon. Although the clay alteration with high δ56Fe and δ26Mg values coincides with the main uranium-bearing zone, the δ56Fe signatures reflect multiple stages of alteration and mineralization. The high δ56Fe values and lower Fe2+ contents of the uranium-bearing zones support leaching of Fe2+(aq) enriched in lighter iron isotopes. Sequential leach δ56Fe experiments also indicate that formation of fine-grained iron oxides/hydroxides with positive δ56Fe values (+0.23 to +0.60‰) in late chemical fronts enhanced the primary positive δ56Fe signatures recorded in ore zones. Near surface samples with similar isotopic signatures provide clues to buried mineralization and support structural disruption of the systems after primary mineralization. Distal geochemical expressions of this system may include enrichment in iron contents with negative δ56Fe values and/or negative δ26Mg whole-rock or clay-size fractions values, reflecting precipitation of the isotopically light iron and magnesium leached during hydrothermal alteration. Although more costly to process, sequential leach δ26Mg or δ56Fe analyses produced greater variance in the ore zones relative to background values and removed anomalous values from carbonate minerals. Isotopic analyses of the clay-size fraction produced results comparable to the final digestion in the sequential leach process but this method in particular requires greater understanding the mineralogical controls on the isotopic signatures.