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* Institut für Geowissenschaften, Universität Potsdam, Postfach 60 15 53, D-14415 Potsdam, Germany
** Department of Geological Sciences, University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78712, USA
Corresponding author: blisniuk{at}rz.uni-potsdam.de
Stable isotope paleoaltimetry makes use of systematic trends in the distribution and isotopic composition of modern precipitation with climate and topography, and of the potential to estimate the isotopic composition of paleoprecipitation from authigenic (in-situ formed) minerals. To illustrate the usefulness as well as potential limitations of this method, we review (1) processes controlling the isotopic composition of modern precipitation, (2) stable isotope data from modern precipitation across regions of high topography, and (3) stable isotope data from authigenic minerals that have been used to infer paleotopography. From this we conclude that stable isotope studies of authigenic minerals can permit useful inferences on paleotopography, with uncertainties that critically depend on a detailed understanding of local- to global-scale paleoclimate during the time interval of interest.
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