Rationale: The measurement of δ18O and δ13C in
carbonate samples has become standard practice
for the reconstruction of past climate and oceanographic conditions. Besides the measurement of
biogenic carbonates, e.g., foraminifera, brachiopods or corals, bulk sediment containing variable
quantities of carbonate is often analysed to understand the evolution of palaeoenvironmental
conditions through time. In addition to the isotopic ratios of carbonate in bulk sediments, also the
amount of carbonate present in a sample may carry important information about the palaeoenvironment, e.g., as an input into cyclostratigraphic
models allowing for precise quantification of age
intervals represented by a sedimentary succession.
