The term δ18o refers to the ratio of stable oxygen isotopes, specifically the comparison of the abundance of the heavier isotope oxygen-18 to the lighter isotope oxygen-16 in a sample. This isotopic ratio provides valuable insights into past environmental conditions, such as temperature and precipitation patterns, and is widely used in geochemistry to reconstruct paleoclimate data. Variations in δ18o values help scientists understand climatic changes over time, including glacial and interglacial periods.
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