Hi Zach and Bill:  For several years, I have been assembling published,
thesis (MS and PhD), and USGS values of d18O and d2H in meteoric-derived
waters in the USA into a database called NAWID (North American Water
Isotope Database), in collaboration with Tyler Coplen, as part of a project
initially funded by NOAA.  A lot of the data was scanned or typed in by
hand, a major undertaking.  Several students who have worked on the project
have come and gone, but we have never gotten the database finished (ie, I
have lots of little computer files with partially filled-in columns of data
(location name, lat/long, water type, date, data source, etc), not
thoroughly checked, and not sufficiently documented as to source and
quality of the data), but most of the data are already accumulated
(although the data are not very accessible yet).

The first plan was to release the data on a CD, but this has evolved into
the idea of putting all the data on a web page with a search engine.  Maybe
the NAWID database could even end up being a place where folks with NEW
sets of data could send them, so that these data would not have to be
gleaned from papers/theses in the future, and could be uploaded easily into
the master database.

I have hopes of getting back to this project later this year (but then I
thought the same last year...).  I actually have some internal funding this
year to work on (and hopefully complete) the task, so if some grad student
with good computer/detective/web-database skills would be interested in
coming here this summer or fall to start working on the project, send me an
email ([log in to unmask])

As for getting a modest GNIP program started in the US, this was discussed
by a group of folks a few years ago at AGU (Emi Ito, Tyler Coplen, Jim
White, Bob Michel, and myself, among others), at Emi's urging.  Everyone
agreed it was a good idea.  And some folks, myself included, were even
willing to take on the responsibility for providing free d18O and d2H
analyses for samples from a modest number of sites, but thus far no one has
had the time/energy to handle the logistics of setting up a network that
would be stable for decades, have sites in the "right" locations, produce
unfractionated data, and run itself on about zero new funds. Volunteers?

--Carol


*******************************************************************************

Carol Kendall                                                        tel:
1-650-329-4576
USGS, 345 Middlefield Road, MS 434           fax: 1-650-329-5590
Menlo Park, CA 94025 USA                    email:[log in to unmask]












                    Zachary Sharp
                    <[log in to unmask]        To:     [log in to unmask]
                    >                      cc:
                    Sent by: Stable        Subject:     Re: O18 precip
                    Isotope
                    Geochemistry
                    <ISOGEOCHEM@LIS
                    T.UVM.EDU>


                    04/27/00 02:19
                    PM
                    Please respond
                    to Stable
                    Isotope
                    Geochemistry





Dear Colleagues,

With regards to meteoric water data:

There is a nice repository of stable isotope data for meteoric water
organized by the IAEA.  However, it is my understanding that a lot of labs
have collected meteoric water data that is not published.  Perhaps in each
case there isn't enough information, or by itself a limited data set does
not justify a paper.  I wonder if it wouldn't be possible for all of us to
consolidate our unpublished data in a single publication/repository?  I
realize there are a great deal of caveats.  Some data may not be as good as
others, you might say.  Collection procedures may differ, etc.
Nevertheless, I would guess that a large amount of 'private' data gathered
together would represent a very valuable resource.

If there is an interest in making this happen, I would propose the
following:  David Gutzler -- our climatologist -- and I would try to
organize the data using some data management program such as ArcInfo.
Dave, in his meteorological wizardry, would be able to add temperature and
precipitation data to the stable isotope data, so that some wonderful
correlations could be made.  All data would be available on the web in
Excel and/or arcinfo format, and we would publish an overview with all
contributors as authors.  Presumably the journal would keep an archive of
the data base.

Clearly we realize that putting everyone's data together limits the impact
of each of the contributors.  But we have little doubt that the compiled
data would be a great benefit that would compliment the very high quality
IAEA data.  Obviously, there are still some details to work out, but if the
response is positive, we will proceed.

Sincerely,

Zach
Zachary Sharp
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
Northrop Hall
University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131
USA
FAX 505 277 8843
Phone 505 277 2000